GAME ON!

Houston Astros put the spotlight on their Opening Day starter

Astros Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown
The Astros host the Mets on Opening Day. Composite Getty Image.

Framber Valdez is going to start for the Houston Astros on opening day — again.

Manager Joe Espada told reporters on Sunday that Valdez will take the mound when the Astros host the New York Mets on March 27. The left-hander is making his fourth consecutive opening-day start.

The 31-year-old Valdez went 15-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 28 starts for the AL West champions last year. He finished seventh in balloting for the AL Cy Young Award.

He struck out six while pitching four scoreless innings in a Grapefruit League game against Miami on Saturday.

Valdez made his big league debut with Houston in 2018. He helped the Astros win the World Series in 2022.

He is 68-41 with a 3.30 ERA in 157 big league games — all with Houston.

Valdez allowed three runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings against the New York Yankees on opening day last year. He received a no-decision in Houston's 5-4 loss.

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The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.

The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.

Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.

Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.

Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Key moment

Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.

Key Stat

Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.

Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.

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