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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Astros show signs of life in blowout win over Brewers
May 7, 2025, 3:25 pm
Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.
The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.
“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.
Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.
He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.
“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”
His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.