Brice Matthews helped lead the Astros to a 3-1 victory over the Diamondbacks. Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images.
Framber Valdez pitched seven effective innings for his 10th straight win, Brice Matthews hit his third homer in two games and the Houston Astros rallied to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Valdez (11-4) allowed a run and seven hits to match Detroit’s Tarik Skubal for the majors’ longest win streak this season.
Matthews hit his first two big league homers in Houston’s 6-3 win Monday night and launched a two-run shot off Jake Woodford (0-1) in the eighth.
Let's Brice things up a bit!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/HqQEPzdJsH
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 23, 2025
Jose Altuve scored on a wild pitch to put Houston up 3-1 in the ninth.
Diamondbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez held the Astros in check before that, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings.
Arizona loaded the bases in the ninth, but Bryan King struck out Blaze Alexander and induced Jose Herrera into a game-ending double play for his first save.
Valdez was sharp before running into trouble in the sixth.
Randal Grichuk led off with a double, Geraldo Perdomo dropped a bunt single and Blaze Alexander followed with a run-scoring groundout. Valdez also worked out of a jam after giving up two leadoff singles in the eighth.
Rodriguez worked through traffic most of the night, getting some help from his defense.
Corbin Carroll made a sliding catch in center to rob Matthews of a hit in the second inning. Matthews lost another hit in the fourth when Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte flipped a slow roller with his glove on a play initially ruled a hit before being overturned.
Key moment
Houston third baseman Mauricio Dubón threw out pinch runner Alek Thomas at the plate in the eighth with the Diamondbacks leading 1-0.
Key stat
Valdez has not lost since May 2 against the Chicago White Sox.
Up next
Arizona RHP Brandon Pfaadt (10-6, 4.82) will pitch the series finale on Wednesday. The Astros have yet to name a starter.
Astros set for electric homestand with familiar faces returning
Aug 11, 2025, 2:08 pm
The Astros kick off a thrilling homestand Monday night with a showdown that’s as much about star power as it is about the standings. Houston welcomes the Boston Red Sox for the first of a three-game series, but all eyes will be on two familiar faces stepping back into Daikin Park under wildly different yet equally electric circumstances.
Alex Bregman returns to Houston for the first time since joining the Red Sox, while Carlos Correa makes his much-anticipated debut in front of Astros fans since coming back home.
Correa’s reappearance in an Astros uniform still feels surreal. A year ago, the thought of him hitting in the heart of Houston’s order again seemed impossible. Now, paired once more with Jose Altuve, the Astros’ longtime shortstop is right back where he built his legacy, and perhaps even more dangerous than before.
Guess who else is returning?
There’s another reunion of sorts on the mound. Cristian Javier, who hasn’t pitched in a game this season, makes his long-awaited return, facing one of baseball’s hottest teams. Javier will have to contend with a Boston lineup powered by Wilyer Abreu’s 21 homers and the recent surge of Jarren Duran.
The Astros enter at 66-52, holding a slim lead atop the AL West and boasting the second-best batting average in the league at .258. Jeremy Peña continues to pace the lineup at .315, while Altuve has been scorching over the past 10 games, hitting .390 with four homers.
Boston, 65-54 and chasing the AL East crown, has been just as dangerous, riding a 7-3 stretch with a 3.10 ERA and plenty of timely hitting.
Monday’s opener pairs Javier against left-hander Garrett Crochet, who’s been one of baseball’s toughest arms this year with a 2.24 ERA and 183 strikeouts. With star power returning, playoff positioning at stake, and Correa back where he once ruled, this series could have October energy before the calendar even flips to September.
Astros vs. Crochet
Pena is leading off and playing shortstop, with Correa in the 2-hole and playing third base. Altuve will DH and hit third again, with Christian Walker batting cleanup and playing first base.
Big show tonight.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN | SCHN2
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#TheNextFrontier x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/tfly0FBgOD
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 11, 2025
Yainer Diaz will catch Javier and hit fifth, followed by Ramon Urias (2B), Mauricio Dubon (LF), Chas McCormick (CF), and Cam Smith (RF).
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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