ROYALS 6, ASTROS 5
at Houston
Friday, March 31

Royals at the plate: Emil Brown was 2-for-2 with a leadoff double in the second. David DeJesus led off the game with a homer off Brandon Backe and drove in a run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly. Mike Sweeney was 2-for-4 with a first-inning double.

Astros at the plate: Preston Wilson, playing for the first time at Minute Maid Park in an Astros uniform, was 3-for-3 with a solo homer in the fourth inning. Morgan Ensberg and Lance Berkman knocked back-to-back solo shots off Joel Peralta in the sixth, tying the game at 4.

Royals on the mound: Right-hander Joe Mays allowed two runs on six hits with no walks and one strikeout over five innings.

Astros on the mound: Backe allowed four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts over four innings. Russ Springer, pitching in back-to-back days for the first time this spring, struck out one in one scoreless frame.

Records: Astros 10-19; Royals 17-9.

Up next: The Astros and Royals will meet for the final game of this exhibition set Saturday night, beginning at 6:05 p.m. CT. That matchup will mark the final game of the Spring Training season.