ASTROS DEFEAT RAYS

Framber follows up no-hit bid with strong performance as Astros beat Rays 6-1

Astros Framber Valdez
Astros defeat the Rays, 6-1. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Framber Valdez followed up his no-hit bid with 5 2/3 strong innings, and the AL West-leading Houston Astros won their six straight game by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1 on Monday night.

Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz homered for the Astros, who lead the division by one-half game over idle Seattle.

Valdez (12-5) improved to 7-0 in his last nine starts after allowing three hits, one walk and striking out nine. The lefty was pulled after walking Yandy Díaz on his 101st pitch.

Valdez came within one out of his second career no-hitter in his previous start at Texas on Aug. 6 when Corey Seager homered with two outs in the ninth. The Rays got their first hit with one out in the first on a single by Dylan Carlson.

Tayler Scott and Kaleb Ort completed a four-hitter.

Bregman hit a first-inning solo shot, and Yainer Diaz had a three-run drive during a four-run third against Taj Bradley (6-7) as the Astros took a 5-0 lead. Yordan Alvarez picked up his ninth RBI over the last seven games with a run-scoring single in the third.

Bradley gave up six runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in losing his third consecutive start. The right-hander had gone 5-0 in eight starts prior to the current skid.

Tampa Bay’s Taylor Walls tripled in the third when right fielder Pedro León overran his fly ball down the line and scored on José Caballero’s sacrifice fly.

Walls, who entered hitting, .153, also doubled off Valdez in the fifth.

The Rays have lost five of seven to drop back to .500 at 59-59.

Houston's Jose Altuve had two hits and moved past Jeff Bagwell into second place in franchise history with 623 multi-hit games. Only Craig Biggio, with 841, has more.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (neck) will make his second minor league rehab start this week and could rejoin the rotation after that.

UP NEXT

Astros LHP Yusei Kikuchi (5-9, 4.62 ERA) and Rays RHP Shane Baz (0-1. 4.30 ERA) are Tuesday night’s starters. Kikuchi is 1-0 with 19 strikeouts over 11 innings in two starts with Houston since being acquired from Toronto.

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The Texans will look to get back on track this Sunday against the Colts. Composite Getty Image.

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are looking for answers after their passing game couldn’t get going in a loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Houston’s passing attack had been a strength all season, and the Texans ranked fifth in yards passing per game through their first six games. But on Sunday at Lambeau Field, Stroud was limited to a career-low 86 yards in the 24-22 loss, which snapped a three-game winning streak.

Stroud was 10 of 21 and didn’t have a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The second-year player was under duress for much of the day and was sacked four times and hit seven other times.

“We have to go back to the drawing board and see what those issues were,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “As we watch the film, we’ll see what happened, starting for me the communication and just guys being on the details of the job.”

The Texans scored a season-high 41 points in a win over New England a week earlier in which Stroud threw a season-best three touchdown passes despite being without star receiver Nico Collins.

They were unable to replicate that success Sunday with Collins out for the second of at least four games after a hamstring injury landed him on injured reserve.

Stefon Diggs led the team with five receptions against the Packers, but they only amounted to 23 yards. Tank Dell, who the Texans expected to step up with Collins out, was targeted four times but didn’t have a catch.

Stroud discussed the importance of getting Dell more involved in the offense.

“We have to find a way to try and get him the rock early and often and then go from there,” he said. “It has to be a focus for us, not only just him, but the whole offense clicking early. That is really my job to get the ball out on time and to where it is supposed to go. So yeah, that definitely has to be fixed.”

Ryans spoke about his confidence is getting Dell going.

What's working

The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their last two games after they hadn’t caused any in their previous three games.

Houston scored 16 points off three turnovers Sunday. The Texans had two interceptions and recovered a fumble on a punt. In their win over the Patriots, they scored 17 points off a season-high four turnovers.

What needs help

The Texans won’t get to where they want to be this season if Stroud doesn’t get back on track. Before Sunday, last year’s AP Offensive Rookie of the Year was averaging more than 262 yards passing a game, giving the team confidence that the problems in the passing game are fixable.

Ryans knows the line must give Stroud more time to throw and said the coaching staff will focus on improving in that area this week.

Stock up

RB Joe Mixon continued to shine Sunday in his second game back after missing three games with an ankle injury. Mixon, who is in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati, had 25 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns against Green Bay.

Mixon is confident the Texans will rebound this week if they quit making mistakes.

“Does it look I’m worried? I’m not worried at all,” he said. “Like I said, we got a ... good football team. At the end of the day, we are our own worst enemy.”

Stock down

Dell was unable to help Stroud get the passing game going. The second-year player had a solid rookie season with 709 yards receiving and seven touchdowns in 11 games before breaking his leg. But he hasn’t been able to build on that success this year and has just 194 yards receiving with one score in six games.

Injuries

LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion), CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) all missed Sunday’s game and it’s unclear if any of these starters can return this week.

Key number

3 — Safety Calen Bullock had his third interception Sunday to tie Dunta Robinson and Jumal Rolle for most interceptions by a rookie in franchise history through the first seven games. He leads NFL rookies in interceptions this season and is tied for third-most among all players.

Next steps

The AFC South-leading Texans (5-2) return to division play Sunday when they host the second-place Colts (4-3), who have won two in a row and four of five.

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