KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Kyle Lohse will leave his new curveball in Florida when the season starts. “We tried it. That’s what spring training is for, to mess around with pitches,” Lohse said Tuesday after pitching five innings in his fourth spring start for the St. Louis Cardinals. “But if you don’t have confidence in something, you’re not going to be able to execute it. “It was a good pitch in the bullpen, but when I got in the game I couldn’t control it.” Lohse has gone back to his old curveball grip, and it worked well in a 6-1 exhibition victory over the Houston Astros. Coming off a 14-8 season that ended in a World Series start, Lohse gave up three hits Tuesday, including Chris Johnson’s second home run. Eric Komatsu, a Rule V acquisition from Washington, had three of the Cardinals’ 12 hits and scored twice.

Immediately after the game, the Astros acquired left-handed pitcher Kevin Chapman and a player to be named later from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for outfielder Jason Bourgeois and catcher Humberto Quintero. The Cardinals announced after the game that pitchers Chuckie Fick, Sam Freeman and Adam Ottavino had been optioned to Triple-A Memphis, and pitchers Trevor Rosenthal and R.J. Swindle, infielder Ryan Jackson and catcher Steven Hill have been reassigned.