ASTROS DEFEAT DODGERS
Framber Valdez fans 10 as Astros blank Dodgers, 5-0
Jul 26, 2024, 10:14 pm
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.
SMOKED. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/dtNChMqi4n
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 27, 2024
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.
Big Jon to the upper deck! #Relentless pic.twitter.com/qLPKYBkjxo
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 27, 2024
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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Draft experts are calling this year’s class one of the most difficult to project, especially in the back half of the first round, where opinions on prospects vary widely. For the Texans, who hold the No. 25 overall pick, this presents both opportunity and risk. With no glaring positional holes but several areas in need of long-term upgrades, Houston’s approach will provide insight into how the front office views its roster—and, more specifically, how it plans to protect its most valuable asset: Stroud.
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A best-case scenario? The Texans land an offensive lineman in the first round and then leverage their extra third-round pick to trade up for a sliding receiver like Burden early in the second. That would give Houston immediate trench help and another weapon for Stroud without having to choose between the two priorities.
No matter what direction the Texans go, this year’s draft is set to be the most unpredictable of the Stroud era. And that might be just how Nick Caserio and DeMeco Ryans like it.
We have so much more to cover. Don't miss the video below as the crew from Texans on Tap discusses all the topics above and much more!
And be sure to watch our live reaction to the Texans' first round pick this Thursday night on our SportsMap Texans YouTube channel!
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