ASTROS BLANK WHITE SOX
Framber throws 7 sharp innings, Diaz and Altuve homer as Astros shut out White Sox
Aug 18, 2024, 3:43 pm
Astros defeat the White Sox, 2-0. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Framber Valdez threw seven sharp innings for his eighth straight win and Yainer Diaz and Jose Altuve homered to help the Houston Astros to a 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
The win was Houston’s 10th in 11 games and it moved the AL West leaders to a season-best 11 games over .500 at 67-56.
Bryan Abreu struck out two in the eighth and Josh Hader fanned two in the ninth to complete the three-hitter. Hader has converted his last 27 save opportunities, which extends a franchise record.
Diaz opened the Houston sixth with his shot to the seats in left field off rookie Ky Bush (0-2) to make it 1-0. The home run came after Diaz was robbed of one on a spectacular catch by rookie Dominic Fletcher in the first inning.
Altuve connected off John Brebbia with no outs in the eighth to make it 2-0.
Valdez (13-5) allowed just three singles and struck out nine to win his career-best eighth consecutive decision over his last 10 starts. The left-hander, who pitched a no-hitter last season, nearly had another one Aug. 6 before the Rangers broke it up with two outs in the ninth.
On Sunday, Nicky Lopez hit a leadoff single before Valdez retired the next 11 batters. Andrew Vaughn singled with two outs in the fourth but Valdez struck out Korey Lee to end the inning.
Lenyn Sosa got Chicago’s second hit on a single with one out in the fifth. Valdez still faced the minimum in that inning after Fletcher grounded into a double play.
Andrew Benintendi singled with no outs in the seventh and Valdez struck out Vaughn before another double play ended his day.
Bush yielded four hits and a run with five walks in six innings in his third major league start.
Altuve and Jeremy Peña both singled to start the first before Fletcher’s home run robbery. The rookie jumped at the low wall and reached back into the stands to grab the ball hit by Diaz and leave the catcher stunned.
Jake Meyers grounded into a double play after that, allowing Bush to escape the jam.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros RHP Justin Verlander threw a bullpen and if he feels good on Monday he'll come off the injured list to start Wednesday, manager Joe Espada said. The 41-year-old ace hasn’t pitched since June 9 because of stiffness in his neck.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Jonathan Cannon (2-6, 4.02 ERA) will start Monday night in the opener of a series at San Francisco. The Giants hadn’t announced their starter.
Astros: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 4.49 ERA) opposes RHP Tanner Houck (8-8. 3.01) in the opener of a three-game series with Boston on Monday night.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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