March 25, 2015
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Shortstop prospect Carlos Correa hit his second home run of the spring, leading the Houston Astros to a 7-1 win over the Phillies on Wednesday.
With one out in the fourth inning, the No.1 pick of the 2012 draft, hit a curveball from right-hander Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez over the left field fence. The 20-year-old Correa finished the game 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
Gonzalez entered camp competing for a spot in the Phillies' rotation, but the 28-year-old has a 7.53 ERA in five games this spring and has given up a major league-high 25 hits.
"It doesn't worry me because it's a decision that's out of my hands," Gonzalez said of his odds at breaking camp with the team next week. "I'm here to do my best and whatever decisions management comes up with, I can live with it."
Cameron Rupp continued to make a strong case for the backup catcher's job, with a double in the fifth inning. He's hitting .391 this spring.
Domonic Brown was out of the lineup for the sixth straight game with left achilles tendinitis. Brown has played catch in the last three or four days and began hitting again on Wednesday. Brown hopes to return to the field within the next four to five days. Whether he's able to catch up in at-bats for opening day is uncertain.
Right-hander Chad Billingsley, who has been limited to two starts the last two years after having two elbow operations, will pitch Thursday in his second minor league game in the last week. He could join the Phillies rotation in late April.
