ASTROS DEFEAT A'S
Valdez strikes out eight, Astros limit A's to two hits in 3-0 victory
May 15, 2024, 10:02 pm
Astros defeat the A's, 3-0. Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images.
Framber Valdez struck out eight in seven strong innings and combined with Seth Martinez for a two-hitter, and the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 3-0 on Wednesday for their season-high fourth straight victory.
The Framchise pic.twitter.com/wBuGVlSX3U
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 16, 2024
Valdez (3-1) allowed both hits and walked two. The left-hander recorded 11 groundouts.
Valdez has yielded two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. Martinez earned his first save of the season.
Oakland’s only hits off Valdez were a weak infield single by J.D. Davis in the fourth and Shea Langeliers' single in the seventh. The A’s have lost four straight.
The A’s put runners on first and second in the ninth on an error by Alex Bregman and Tyler Soderstrom's walk, but Langeliers grounded into a double play to end it.
Jose Altuve singled leading off the first, had reached third on Kyle Tucker's double and scored on a throwing error by Zack Gelof, who was trying to get Tucker at second. Tucker scored on Bregman's sacrifice fly two batters later.
Mauricio Dubón added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 3-0.
Aaron Brooks (0-1) surrendered three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings in his first start since Sept. 13, 2019, when he was with Baltimore. It was his first major league appearance since April 28, 2022.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Alex Wood was placed on the 15-day injured list with left rotator cuff tendonitis and LHP Brady Basso was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for Brooks on the roster. The A’s also recalled LHP Hogan Harris from Las Vegas. INF Darrell Hernaiz (left ankle) was transferred to the 60-day injured list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
Astros: OF Chas McCormick (right hamstring discomfort) went 0 for 4 in a start for Double-A Corpus Christi in his third game of an injury rehabilitation assignment.
UP NEXT
Houston RHP Cristian Javier (2-1, 4.01 ERA) starts Thursday opposite Oakland RHP Joey Estes (1-0, 1.80 ERA) in the finale of the four-game series.
L.J. Cryer scored 14 points, Milos Uzan added 12 points and six assists, and No. 6 Houston beat Baylor 76-65 on Monday night for its third straight victory.
Terrance Arceneaux had 11 points and J’Wan Roberts scored 10 for Houston (20-4, 12-1 Big 12). Emanuel Sharp also finished with 10 after missing two games with an ankle injury.
The Cougars shot 51% and went 10 of 24 on 3-pointers. They reached 20 wins for the 10th consecutive season.
Norchad Omier scored 19 points and Langston Love added 15 for Baylor (15-9, 7-6), which shot 58% — including 9 of 15 on 3s. VJ Edgecombe had 14 points and Robert Wright III finished with 10.
Baylor lost its third straight road game and fell to 0-4 against ranked opponents in true road games this season.
Takeaways
Baylor: The Bears missed an opportunity to add a marquee win and fell to 4-8 in Quad 1 games. Baylor’s lack of depth came into play as Houston outscored the Bears’ bench 24-1, and three starters played at least 35 minutes.
Houston: The Cougars improved to 5-3 in Quad 1 games and remained atop the Big 12 standings.
Key moment
Uzan hit a 3-pointer that sparked a 10-1 run and gave the Cougars a 26-16 lead with 7:53 remaining in the first half. Houston’s lead never dipped below six the rest of the way.
Key stat
Houston, which entered forcing more than 14 turnovers per game and ranking in the top 10 nationally with a 5.2 turnover margin, forced Baylor into 15 turnovers and converted them into 28 points.
Up next
Houston visits No. 13 Arizona on Saturday, while Baylor hosts West Virginia the same day.