Dickey pitches 5 shutout innings for Blue Jays; Astros come back to beat Toronto 4-3
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}R.A. Dickey pitched five shutout innings Sunday before the Houston Astros came back to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 in an exhibition game.
Dickey threw 82 pitches in five innings in his third spring start, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out four. The Astros got a runner into scoring position against him only with the help of a wild pitch.
Marwin Gonzalez and Carlos Perez drove in runs for the Astros in the eighth inning off losing pitcher Jeremy Jeffress.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Eric Kratz had two hits and drove in two for the Blue Jays while catching Dickey's knuckleball through the first five innings.
Jason Castro tied it for the Astros with a two-run home run in the sixth.
Left-hander Rudy Owens, a 26-year-old rookie who has yet to pitch in the major leagues, pitched five shutout innings for the Astros.