The Astros know how to win these games, and it shows
ASTROS DEFEAT CUBS
29 June
ASTROS DEFEAT CUBS
Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer and Framber Valdez tossed six shutout innings, and the Houston Astros beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on Sunday.
Altuve’s 13th home run of the season broke a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. It was his first extra base hit in 34 at bats and the Astros' only extra base hit of the game.
ALTUVE FOR THE LEAD!!!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/1rX89783yx
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 29, 2025
Valdez (9-4) struck out six while allowing five hits and two walks.
Starring The Framchise.#BuiltForThis x @budweiserusa pic.twitter.com/sNReaztMjl
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 29, 2025
Only one man reached third base against him. He exited with two on and nobody out in the seventh, but Bryan Abreu replaced him and retired Michael Busch, Vidal Bruján and Ian Happ to work out of trouble.
Abreu pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning. He struck out four of the six men he faced.
Josh Hader retired the side in order in the ninth inning to convert on his franchise record 23rd straight save opportunity to start the season.
Jameson Taillon (7-6) matched zeroes with Valdez until Altuve’s home run on his 107th and final pitch of his outing. He struck out four while giving up five hits and one walk over 4 2/3 innings.
The bullpen trio of Ryan Brasier, Ryan Pressly and Brad Keller held the Astros to two hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Altuve’s fifth inning, two-run homer to break the scoreless tie.
The Astros are unbeaten in their last 11 series, dating back to May 22, going 9-0-2 in that span.
The Cubs open a three-game series against the Guardians on Tuesday with LHP Matthew Boyd (7-3 2.65 ERA) against RHP Gavin Williams (5-3 3.68 ERA).
The Astros open a three-game series at the Rockies on Tuesday with LHP Colton Gordon (3-1 3.98 ERA) against RHP Chase Dollander (2-8 6.06 EA).
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
The home run by Peraza.
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.