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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Houston falls short as Soto’s homer, missed opportunities doom Astros
Mar 28, 2025, 10:26 pm
With a chance to make a late splash in his New York Mets debut, Juan Soto came up empty.
After signing the biggest contract in baseball history last offseason, the slugger came to bat with two runners aboard and the Mets down by two in the ninth inning Thursday. But instead of delivering the huge hit New York was looking for, he whiffed on a full-count slider from hard-throwing closer Josh Hader that was way outside the strike zone to send the Mets to a second straight opening day loss in Houston's 3-1 victory.
“He just got me in that situation,” Soto said.
Hader loaded the bases with nobody out, then fanned third-string catcher Hayden Senger in his first major league at-bat. Francisco Lindor’s sacrifice fly made it 3-1, and there were runners on first and third when Hader struck out Soto for his 200th career save.
“We all want to do something in a big spot,” Soto said. “We’re all trying to get the knock and try to bring the runs in and try to help the team either way.”
Soto singled and walked twice against the Astros after signing a record $765 million, 15-year contract as a free agent in December.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked if he thought Soto felt extra pressure in the ninth inning because it was his first game with a new team.
“Yeah, of course, as a competitor he always wants to come through,” Mendoza said. “I thought he had some good at-bats today and even on that one he got it 3-0 and then 3-1 and that pitch that he got there (he) just missed it. Pretty good pitch. But he’ll come through.”
Soto, who played for the American League champion New York Yankees last season, joins the Mets as they chase their first World Series title since 1986.
The four-time All-Star was disappointed his first game with the Mets didn't go their way.
“I was expecting to win the game,” he said. “Definitely it’s not how we wanted. ... They’re a really good team over there and they come in and grind. For me it was a good experience. These guys are amazing and we’ve been having a good time since spring training and we’ve just got to bring that all the way.”
The 26-year-old Soto hit .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs last year and won a Silver Slugger Award for a fifth straight season.
Soto is a career .285 hitter with 201 home runs and 592 RBIs in seven major league seasons. He's also played for the Nationals and Padres.
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