ASTROS FALL SHORT
Framber joins elite company, but Astros can’t finish the job
Jul 28, 2025, 10:45 pm
The Nationals beat the Astros, 2-1. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Riley Adams hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.
The game was tied 1-all with two outs in the seventh when Adams connected off Bryan King (3-2) on his 348-foot shot to the seats in right field to put Washington on top.
Christian Walker doubled to lead off the bottom of the inning and Jacob Melton walked. But Yainer Diaz grounded into a double play before Luis García struck out Mauricio Dubón to end the threat.
Konnor Pilkington (2-0) got the last two outs of the sixth for the win and Kyle Finnegan struck out one in the ninth for his 20th save.
The Astros have dropped a season-high five straight games after being swept in a four-game series by the Athletics this weekend. The AL West leaders have dropped 10 of their last 11 home games and managed just one run for a third straight game.
Nationals’ starter Brad Lord retired the first 14 batters before Diaz walked with two outs in the fifth. Dubón followed with a double on a line drive to left field that scored Diaz and put Houston up 1-0.
There were two outs in the sixth when Framber Valdez walked Josh Bell. Nathaniel Lowe’s double to the right field corner scored Bell and tied the game at 1.
Valdez allowed three hits and a run while tying a season high with 12 strikeouts in six innings to become the 10th pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts (1,007). Houston’s bullpen struck out seven more as the team tied a season high with 19 strikeouts.
Washington starter Brad Lord yielded one hit and one run in 5 1/3 innings.
Key moment
The home run by Adams.
Key stat
Eleven of Adams’ 22 hits this season have been for extra bases.
Up next
RHP Michael Soroka (3-8, 4.85 ERA) will start for the Nationals when the series continues Tuesday night. The Astros haven’t announced a starter.
Houston Astros shake things up trying to halt the spiral
Jul 29, 2025, 4:13 pm
Houston ace Framber Valdez expressed frustration about the defensive positioning on a play in the sixth inning Monday night that led to the only run he allowed in the Astros’ 2-1 loss to the Washington Nationals.
There were two outs in the sixth when Valdez walked Josh Bell. Nathaniel Lowe’s groundball double to the right field corner scored Bell and tied the game at 1.
Valdez wasn’t happy that right fielder Taylor Trammell was shifted halfway to center field instead of in right field on the play.
“I saw the right fielder playing center field and, you know, we have a center fielder for that,” Valdez told reporters in Spanish through a translator. “I feel like the right fielder should have been playing right field. I was uncomfortable with that.”
Valdez was asked if he addressed the positioning with the coaching staff.
“I don’t have to ask the coaches about that,” he said. “I feel like baseball is a game of common sense. With me as a lefty pitcher, they don’t hit a lot of fly balls against me.”
Valdez allowed three hits and a run while tying a season high with 12 strikeouts in six innings to become the 10th pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts (1,007).
You can see where the right fielder was positioned in the video below.
hi lowe pic.twitter.com/6hKlolMnTU
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 29, 2025
Riley Adams hit a solo homer in the seventh inning to give Washington the win and extend Houston’s skid to a season-high five games.