ASTROS BLOW A HUGE OPPORTUNITY
Framber Valdez collapses in fifth as Angels rally past Astros
May 21, 2024, 7:11 am
Angels defeat Astros, 9-7. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.
Nolan Schanuel and Logan O’Hoppe both hit three-run homers and Jo Adell added a solo shot as the Los Angeles Angels jumped on Framber Valdez for seven runs in the fifth inning to power them to a 9-7 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.
Zach Neto homered in the sixth inning to give the Angels a season-high four home runs as they won for the fourth time in five games.
It's the first time in franchise history the Angels have had four players age 25 or younger homer in the same game.
“They're growing up,” manager Ron Washington said. “They’re starting to figure things out. They really didn’t try to do too much and they ended up doing a lot. And that’s what it’s about.”
They trailed by five with two on and one out in the fifth when Schanuel homered to right field to cut the lead to 6-4. There were two on again with two outs when O’Hoppe connected to put Los Angeles up 7-6.
Adell sent the next pitch by Valdez (3-2) into the seats in right field to push it to 8-6.
Valdez was tagged for a season-high 10 hits and tied a career high by giving up eight runs in five innings.
“He just kind of was lost, started leaving some pitches in the heart of the plate and they put some really good swings on them,” manager Joe Espada said. “His stuff was really good... just that fifth inning he kind of lost the feel for the zone.”
Rafael Montero took over to start the sixth and was greeted with a homer by Neto to leave the Angels up 9-6.
Houston led 6-1 early after a three-run homer by Jose Altuve and a two-run shot from Mauricio Dubón before the big inning by Los Angeles.
Reid Detmers allowed eight hits and six runs in four innings. José Suarez (1-0) struck out one in two scoreless innings for the win.
Along with his home run, Adell wowed on defense, too when he robbed Yainer Diaz of a home run for the first out of the ninth inning. Adell jumped to grab the ball just before crashing into the padded wall in right field, causing reliever Carlos Estévez to raise both of his arms and cheer.
“He’s growing in front of your face,” Washington said. “That was a big-time play and that play right there may have saved the game.”
Estévez allowed an RBI single to Kyle Tucker to cut the lead to 9-7 with two outs before walking Yordan Alvarez. But he retired Alex Bregman on a fly out to end it and get his seventh save.
Schanuel and Luis Rengifo both singled to open the first before Schanuel scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Ward.
Jeremy Peña singled with no outs in the bottom of the inning and stole second base with one out. The Astros tied it when he scored on a two-out single by Diaz before a single by Dubón.
Altuve sent a high fastball from Detmers into the seats in left field to put Houston on top 4-1.
Diaz doubled with one out in the fourth before the Astros pushed the lead to 6-1 on the homer by Dubón.
ABREU’S RETURN
Struggling first baseman José Abreu could rejoin the Astros as soon as this weekend, less than a month after agreeing to be optioned to the minors to work on his swing.
The 2020 AL MVP batted .099 with just one extra-base hit and three RBIs in 22 games this season before his demotion.
“He looks like he’s in a much better offensive position, but also mentally,” Espada said. “That’s another area we wanted him to clear his mind and reset and we feel he’s getting closer.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: OF Chas McCormick (right hamstring discomfort) is nearing a return after playing six minor league rehabilitation games. Espada wouldn’t say exactly when he’d be activated but indicated that it would be soon.
UP NEXT
Houston RHP Cristian Javier (3-1, 3.23 ERA) opposes RHP Griffin Canning (2-4, 5.21) when the series continues Tuesday night.
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Coming off a 10-win regular season and an appearance in the divisional round of the playoffs, expectations are high for the Houston Texans in 2024.
However, coach DeMeco Ryans is only concerned with what is happening inside the team.
“We have a lot of room for improvement, and my expectations and what I expect to see from everyone is just get a little better each day,” Ryans said. “If we get a little bit better each day, we'll be exactly where we want to be.”
The day before starting his second training camp as Texans head coach, Ryans told his players they should expect more from themselves than anyone else.
“Nobody on the outside is going to have a bigger expectation than on the inside of the building,” defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said. “Right now, our expectation is just building that building, building a tall building."
After combining for just 11 wins from 2020-2022, Houston surprised many to win the AFC South before beating the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round. The Texans likely won’t catch anyone by surprise this season.
“It’s gonna be harder,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “We have a target on our back this year, and that’s how you should want it.”
The emergence of Stroud is a big reason why so much is expected of the Texans in 2024. The second overall pick of the 2023 draft threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns on his way to being the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
“C.J. has done a really good job this offseason, as a leader when it comes to working with other guys,” Ryans said. “Knowing that he’s not just working by himself, but finding the avenues to get a group together and work together. That’s very important, especially when it comes to timing in the passing game.”
The Texans added talent around Stroud over the offseason, acquiring Pro Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs from Buffalo and Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon from Cincinnati before the draft.
Mixon will help a Texans rushing offense that averaged just 3.7 yards per carry, fifth worst in the NFL last season, while Diggs, who has finished with more than 100 catches the past four seasons, joins a passing attack that returns its five leading pass catchers.
“I’ve been watching Diggs for a while,” wide receiver Nico Collins said. “I was in middle school, and he was in Minnesota making plays, so it’s just crazy that he’s part of the squad.”
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