ASTROS DEFEAT RAYS
Framber follows up no-hit bid with strong performance as Astros beat Rays 6-1
Aug 12, 2024, 8:51 pm
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.
Did someone say Player of the Week?#Relentless pic.twitter.com/gwxqDjZmyc
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 12, 2024
Alex Bregman and Yainer Diaz homered for the Astros, who lead the division by one-half game over idle Seattle.
Yainer Diaz is a dangerous man.#Relentless pic.twitter.com/KalVPpnARO
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 12, 2024
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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Luis Severino struck out eight in seven innings and Luis Urias homered to lead the Athletics to a 5-2 victory over the AL West-leading Houston Astros on Thursday night.
Severino (4-11) allowed four hits and two earned runs as the A’s snapped a four-game skid. Mason Miller earned his 20th save.
Urias hit his eighth homer in the sixth inning and finished with two hits. Nick Kurtz went 3 for 5 with an RBI double in the two-run fourth inning. Max Schuemann also knocked in a run in the inning on a fielder’s choice grounder.
Christian Walker drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right field and Victor Caratini scored on a groundout by Cam Smith — all in the seventh inning — for the Astros, who had their four-game winning streak halted.
Jason Alexander (1-1), a former member of the Athletics who was claimed off waivers in May, allowed five earned runs and 11 hits in six innings. The 32-year-old right-hander finished with three strikeouts and two walks.
Key moment
Carlos Cortes made his MLB debut for the A’s and went 1 for 3. He had a sacrifice fly, single and scored a run.
Key stat
The Astros went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position.
Up Next
Athletics LHP Jeffery Springs (8-7) will go in the second game of the four-game series. The Astros have not announced a starter.