Werth scratched with sore knee (Nats lose 5-4)

NATIONALS QUICK WRAP

Score: Astros 5, Nats 4

Recap: Defense was not on display early in this game. The two teams combined to commit five errors in the first 4 1/2 innings, including three by the Astros on one batted ball. Yes, three errors on one batted ball, which turned Trea Turner's third-inning single to right into a Little League homer. Joe Ross wasn't helped out by the shaky glove work behind him, and two of the four runs he allowed were unearned thanks to gaffes by Turner (who airmailed a throw to first) and Brian Goodwin (who pulled up on a fly ball to right-center and let it fall to the ground). Bryce Harper "drove" in his 10th run of the spring by battling through a bases-loaded at-bat against Houston lefty Tony Sipp and drawing the walk. Infielder Grant Green launched his first homer of the spring, tying the game in the seventh. Koda Glover, though, surrendered the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth after Max Stassi doubled to left-center, took third on a ground ball and then scored on Alejandro Garcia's RBI single past a drawn-in Green at shortstop.

Need to know: After an 0-for-7 start to his spring, Matt Wieters recorded his first two hits as a National, beating out an infield single in the fifth and roping a double into the right-field corner in the sixth. ... Joe Nathan tossed a 1-2-3 inning of relief, retiring three big league hitters. The 42-year-old has allowed three runs in eight innings so far this spring. ... Combining the Grapefruit League and World Baseball Classic, Jhonatan Solano is batting .625 (15-for-24) this spring.

On deck: Sunday vs. Marlins in Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Nationals had a lineup set to go early this morning for their Grapefruit League game against the Astros. Then they had to change it. Then they had to change it again.

Jayson Werth was the first player to be scratched, the veteran left fielder dealing with a sore knee. Center fielder Michael A. Taylor soon joined him, scratched due to a family issue that required his leaving camp.

Manager Dusty Baker didn't seem particularly concerned about Werth's injury.

"This is just a little minor thing," Baker said. "He wanted to play today, and I told him no."

If you're more concerned than the manager, it's worth noting that Werth was on the field during batting practice this morning, participating in fielding drills.

Werth, along with Bryce Harper, was already scheduled to get Sunday off, so both are expected to be back in the lineup Monday against the Yankees.

The 37-year-old has played in 11 games so far this spring, going 3-for-23 with a homer and three walks. Many of those at-bats have come while serving as designated hitter; he's only played 25 innings in the field so far.

That was by design, with Baker planning to start pushing him more as the final stretch of the spring approaches.

"He looks pretty good," Baker said. "I just hope this soreness in his knee doesn't set him back. I was planning to take him up a notch, as far as innings played and stuff to get some endurance."

Update: It's been a shaky start to Joe Ross' afternoon, some of his of his own making and some of it not. The Astros scored three runs in the first two innings thanks in part to three misplays in the field. Two came back-to-back in the top of the first from Brandon Snyder, who is getting a look at second base today. Snyder couldn't make the play on Marwin Gonzalez's push bunt past the mound, then couldn't handle a hot shot to his left by Yulieski Gurriel. Both were scored hits, but were plays that could have been made.

One inning later, with a man on third and one out, Trea Turner charged a grounder and thought about throwing home, instead deciding to get the easy out at first. Except he airmailed the throw for an error. One of those plays where the Nats hope the kid learns his lesson.

Ross has given up some well-struck balls, though, including Brian McCann's RBI hit off the wall in the right field corner. Put it all together, and he has allowed three runs through three innings.

The Nats did get two runs back in the bottom of the third, thanks to an incredible sequence of Little League defense by the Astros. With a man on first and two out, Turner scooted a single to right. Jake Marisnick tried to throw out Chris Heisey at third, but the ball got away and Heisey took off for the plate. Charlie Morton, backing up the play, tried to throw home but launched it to the backstop, letting Turner continue to scamper around the bases. Then Gurriel couldn't handle the throw back to third, and that let Turner score. So yes, that was three errors by the Astros on one batted ball, resulting in two runs. This is why you come to spring training.

Update II: It's 4-3 Astros after five eventful innings. The top of the fifth saw Houston score a run when Harper and Brian Goodwin had some kind of miscommunication and a let a routine fly ball fall between them in right-center field. The Nats, though, got the run back in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded and two out, Harper came up to bat against lefty Tony Sipp, battled his way to a full count and then took ball four to drive in a run. That's Harper's seventh walk of the spring and his 10th RBI, both encouraging developments.

Ross' final line for the day: 4 2/3 innings, six hits, four runs (two earned), one walk, three strikeouts, two hit batters, 76 pitches (52 strikes).