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Astros turn to Framber Valdez to snap losing streak and avoid sweep
Jul 31, 2024, 2:58 pm
The Astros have lost three straight games. Composite Getty Image.
Pittsburgh Pirates (55-52, second in the NL Central) vs. Houston Astros (55-52, second in the AL West)
Houston; Wednesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Jake Woodford (0-2, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, seven strikeouts); Astros: Framber Valdez (9-5, 3.43 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 98 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -213, Pirates +178; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros take on the Pittsburgh Pirates after Yainer Diaz had four hits against the Pirates on Tuesday.
Houston has a 55-52 record overall and a 30-24 record at home. The Astros have the eighth-ranked team ERA in the AL at 4.03.
Pittsburgh has a 29-26 record on the road and a 55-52 record overall. The Pirates have gone 35-7 in games when they scored five or more runs.
The teams meet Wednesday for the third time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jose Altuve has 21 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBI while hitting .309 for the Astros. Diaz is 15-for-39 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs over the last 10 games.
Bryan Reynolds has 20 doubles, three triples and 18 home runs while hitting .287 for the Pirates. Oneil Cruz is 9-for-39 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 4-6, .266 batting average, 4.34 ERA, outscored by seven runs
Pirates: 6-4, .227 batting average, 2.73 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs
INJURIES: Astros: Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Pirates: Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 10-Day IL (knee), Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carmen Mlodzinski: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Joshua Palacios: day-to-day (hamstring), Ji-Hwan Bae: day-to-day (knee), Nick Gonzales: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Jared Jones: 15-Day IL (lat), Ryan Borucki: 60-Day IL (tricep), Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.