JUPITER, Fla., March 18 (UPI) -- Mark Redman turned around a miserable spring Tuesday by pitching five scoreless innings, but his bullpen blew a five-run lead as the Houston Astros rallied for a 9-5 victory over the Florida Marlins.
Redman had gone 0-1 with a 14.08 ERA in three spring starts, giving up 15 runs - 12 earned - and 17 hits with four walks and four strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. He yielded only two hits while striking out three Tuesday.
Expected to be in the rotation, Redman watched three relievers surrender nine runs - six earned - and seven hits in four innings. Vladimir Nunez took the loss after giving up four runs in two frames.
Tim Spooneybarger and Armando Almanza each pitched an inning in relief for Florida. Almanza allowed a three-run homer to Colin Porter in the top of the ninth, capping the scoring.
Jeff Kent also had an RBI for the Astros, who scored two runs in the sixth inning, one in the seventh and three in the eighth.
Derrek Lee went 3-for-3 with two RBI and Ivan Rodriguez added a pair of hits for the Marlins, who scored twice each in the first and third innings against Jared Fernandez.
Fernandez, a knuckleballer who was released by Cincinnati in the offseason, gave up four runs - three earned - and five hits in three frames. Anthony Telford picked up the win after pitching a scoreless seventh.
