HOUSTON (AP) — Touted prospect Forrest Whitley will start the season

in the minors but has certainly showed why he could factor into the Houston Astros‘ plans at some point.Whitley allowed three runs over three innings in his final exhibition start as Houston beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 12-9 on Monday night. The outing capped a solid spring for the young right-hander.Whitley said he was able to learn from Astros veterans in camp Brandon Morrow Jersey , with preparation being the biggest thing.“I thought this spring was very beneficial, and it’s going to help me during the season,” he explained. “Sitting in (Justin) Verlander and (Gerrit) Cole’s back pockets as much as I possibly could, learning from them.”Whitley, rated the top pitching prospect in baseball by MLB.com, allowed all three runs in a 31-pitch first inning that was capped by Francisco Cervelli’s two-run homer. But he settled down after that, retiring the side in order in the second and permitting two singles in the third.The 21-year-old finished with two strikeouts and gave up six hits. He struck out 17 in 15 innings this spring.“This outing was pretty weird,” Whitley said. “I haven’t had one of these in a while. I had everything except my fastball. It’s kind of hard to pitch without the fastball. I had a hard time locating that pitch. Pitching off that was a real struggle, but I found a way to bounce back a little bit. That was encouraging.”Whitley http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , a 2016 first-round draft pick, will start the season at Triple-A Round Rock.“I’m very excited,” he said. “Going to the affiliate here shortly and try to pitch as well as I can to get back up here.”Houston manager AJ Hinch said the spring was a good learning time for Whitley, and he’s got a bright future.“It’s going to take an adjustment or two and attention to a couple details to be ready to pitch in the big leagues,” Hinch said. “When we call him up at some point, we are going to need him to be good.”CHISENHALL HITPirates outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall exited after being hit in the right hand by Framber Valdez’s pitch in the sixth.BIG INNINGSPittsburgh’s three-run first started with Adam Frazier scoring on Starling Marte’s double before Cervelli’s home run. The Pirates added a five-run sixth on RBI singles by Melky Cabrera and Corey Dickerson sandwiched around a two-run double by Frazier and Marte’s sacrifice fly.Houston scored seven in the third. George Springer and Alex Bregman had RBI groundouts before Michael Brantley’s two-run single and Tyler White’s three-run homer. Nick Tanielu added a three-run homer in the sixth. Garrett Stubbs and Myles Straw hit consecutive solo home runs in the seventh.JAMES’ OUTINGHouston right-hander Josh James gave up one run and three hits in the eighth. James, slowed early by a strained right quadriceps, allowed only that one run in four spring outings.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Brandon Maurer starts the exhibition finale Tuesday against the Astros.Astros: RHP J.B. Bukauskas starts Tuesday. A look at what’s happening around the majors today:REMEMBERINGMajor League Baseball will hold a moment of silence before all games to honor the victims and first responders of 9/11. Players, coaches and umpires will wear caps with a “We Shall Not Forget” ribbon patch.During batting practice before the Miami-Mets game at Citi Field http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , New York players will wear caps of the five agencies that took part in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site: New York Police Department, Fire Department of New York, Port Authority Police Department, New York City Office of Emergency Management and the City of New York Department of Sanitation.WELCOME BACKFormer AL MVP Josh Donaldson is set to debut with Cleveland in his first big league game since May 28. The third baseman, who was traded from Toronto to the AL Central-leading Indians on Aug. 31, has been out most of the season because of a strained left calf. He recently played in four Triple-A rehab games, and is lined up to start at Tampa Bay.SMOOTH SALERed Sox ace Chris Sale is ready to come off the disabled list and start against Toronto at Fenway Park. Boston manager Alex Cora says the left-hander will be eased back into action, going about two innings and throwing a maximum of 40 pitches for the AL East leaders. Sale originally went on the DL on July 31 with mild left shoulder inflammation, returned to pitch five dominant innings vs. Baltimore on Aug. 12 http://www.chicagocubsteamshop.com/authentic-david-ross-jersey , then went back on the DL. He is 12-4 with a 1.97 ERA and has struck out 219 in just 146 innings.WEATHER ALERTAs Hurricane Florence menaces the East Coast, more games could be in jeopardy. There were rainouts Monday night in Philadelphia, where Nationals star Bryce Harper joined a grounds crew that used blow torches trying to get the field dry, and in New York — there have been 51 weather-related postponements this season after a total of 39 last year. The Nationals and Phillies are scheduled for a doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park, the Marlins visit the Mets and Baltimore hosts Oakland.NO MO’The Cardinals are hoping catcher Yadier Molina can play sometime during a seven-game homestand that began this week. The nine-time All-Star was out of the starting lineup for the fourth straight game Monday vs. Pittsburgh because of a hamstring problem. St. Louis held the second NL wild-card spot going into the day.