ASTROS DEFEAT DODGERS

Framber Valdez fans 10 as Astros blank Dodgers, 5-0

Astros Framber Valdez
Astros defeat the Dodgers, 5-0. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Framber Valdez struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings, Alex Bregman and Jon Singleton hit home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 on Friday night.

Bregman hit a solo home run to left in the third inning and Singleton hit a 403-foot two-run homer into the second deck in right in the fourth.

Joey Loperfido had an RBI single in the second and made an outstanding leaping grab to rob Shohei Ohtani of extra bases in the third. Mauricio Dubón added an RBI double in the eighth.

Valdez (9-5) scattered four hits in winning his fourth straight decision. He has allowed three runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.

Ohtani was 2 for 3 with a walk as the Dodgers were shut out for the fifth time this season.

After Ohtani singled to leadoff the game, Valdez retired 16 straight, including the last six by strikeout, before Gavin Lux singled with one out in the sixth. Valdez proceeded to walk the bases loaded, but he struck out Teoscar Hernández and induced Andy Pages to flyout to end the threat.

The Dodgers had runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but Bryan Abreu struck out Nick Ahmed, and Bregman tagged out Kiké Hernández, who overran second on Lux's infield single.

Gavin Stone (9-4) yielded four runs on nine hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Stone surrendered four runs for the third time in his last four starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Luis Garcia (right elbow surgery) threw a 35-pitch bullpen Friday, manager Joe Espada said. … RHP Justin Verlander (neck discomfort) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday, Espada said. … OF Kyle Tucker (right shin contusion) continued to do outfield drills Friday, and “he’s improving but not at the pace we want him to,” Espada said.

DODGERS TRADE

Los Angeles traded LHP James Paxton to the Red Sox in exchange for minor league INF Moises Bolivar.

UP NEXT

Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (1-0, 4.40 ERA) will start Saturday opposite Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (9-5, 2.75 ERA).

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Cam Akers is going back to Minnesota. Composite Getty Image.

The Minnesota Vikings have acquired running back Cam Akers in a trade for the second straight year, agreeing Tuesday to send a late draft pick to the Houston Texans for more depth at the position.

The deal, which was contingent on Akers passing a physical exam, has the Vikings sending a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2026 draft to the Texans for Akers and a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 draft.

Akers, who was a second-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 when current Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell was the offensive coordinator there, came to the Vikings in a deal with the Rams on Sept. 20, 2023. He had 138 rushing yards and 70 receiving yards in six games before suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon tear.

Akers signed with the Texans this year after considering a return to the Vikings. He had 147 rushing yards and 16 receiving yards in five games, helping fill in for the injured Joe Mixon.

Akers has 1,728 rushing yards and 336 receiving yards in five NFL seasons. He led the league with 67 rushing attempts during the 2021 postseason while helping the Rams to a Super Bowl title.

The Vikings could be without starting running back Aaron Jones Sr. this week after he hurt his hip in the previous game. Ty Chandler is next in line.

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