AP SPORTS WRITER

VIERA, Fla.--Zach Day's first start in seven months was a short one as he began his bid to make the Washington Nationals' rotation.

Day threw just 34 pitches against Houston yesterday, hitting the game's first batter and allowing two solo homers, before a Nationals split squad came back to beat the Astros 9-4.

"I was a little rusty. I felt good out of the stretch, not too comfortable in the windup," said Day, who broke the middle finger on his pitching hand while trying to bunt against Carl Pavano on Aug. 1 and missed the rest of last season.

"I'm not going to grade myself on the first day out."

Brad Wilkerson homered for the second straight game, Brian Schneider went 3-for-3, and Washington totaled 14 hits. Jason Lane, Chris Burke and Luke Scott hit solo shots for Houston, which has scored 15 runs while opening the spring 1-3.

"It wasn't a very good day. We need to start stringing some things together," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "Anybody ought to be able to step up and do that."

His starter, Brandon Backe, went two scoreless innings, allowing one hit.

Day's first pitch of the day hit Willy Taveras in the shoulder. But the runner was quickly erased on a fine play by shortstop Cristian Guzman, a free-agent addition from the Twins. Guzman's momentum carried him past second base as he fielded Adam Everett's grounder, but he flipped the ball backward to Jose Vidro to start a 6-4-3 double play.

"I've heard that's the kind of defense Guzman can play," Nationals manager Frank Robinson said. "What's more impressive is the way Vidro turned it. The arm strength he showed--he didn't have that last year. It seems like they've been playing together awhile."

Day, 5-10 with a 3.93 ERA last year, appears to be competing with John Patterson and Jon Rauch for the fifth starter's job. Rauch got the win yesterday, giving up a run and two hits over three innings.

Day went three innings, allowing two runs on three hits with a strikeout. He wants to be in the rotation, but Robinson said the right-hander's strong sinker--the reason for his 21/2-1 groundball-to-flyball ratio--would make him a good fit in the bullpen.

Houston's Lane, a reserve much of last year but probably destined to start now that Carlos Beltran left as a free agent, hit a first-pitch breaking ball over the wall in left in the second inning. Two batters later, Scott sent a fastball that Day left up over the wall for a 2-0 lead.

Robinson is reserving judgment on Day and all his pitchers until their third or fourth appearances.

"You don't get too excited about performances this early," the manager said. "I'm not worried about results, as long as he's throwing the ball over the plate."

The Nationals' other split-squad game yesterday was a 14-5 loss to the Mets at Port St. Luice.