Critical takeaways from Astros climbing above .500 for first time in 2024

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Astros Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, Jake Meyers
The Astros are back in action Monday afternoon against the Blue Jays. Composite Getty Image.

The Astros took 2 of 3 in New York against the formerly hot Mets and finished the month of June with the best record in all of baseball (17-8).

ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein react to the series win, look ahead to the upcoming series with the Blue Jays, and much more!

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The Tigers beat the Astros, 7-2. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Dillon Dingler tripled in a six-run first inning and the Detroit Tigers finished a sweep of the Houston Astros with a 7-2 win on Wednesday.

Dingler added a double and scored twice as the Tigers won for the seventh time in eight games. The Astros have lost four straight.

Charlie Morton (9-10) allowed two runs on three hits and three walks in six innings.

Framber Valdez (11-7) gave up seven runs, matching a season high, in five innings. He is 0-3 in his last five starts.

The Tigers scored five runs before Valdez recorded an out. Jahmai Jones and Gleyber Torres started the first with walks, Andy Ibáñez hit an RBI single and Spencer Torkelson made it 2-0 with a double.

Valdez’s first wild pitch allowed Ibáñez to score, and after Riley Greene walked, Valdez threw another wild pitch to let Torkelson score the fourth run.

Dingler then tripled off the wall in center. Taylor Trammell hit the fence while trying to make the play and ended up leaving the game on a cart.

Manager Joe Espada spoke with MLB.com's Brian McTaggart after the game and said Trammell is being evaluated for a concussion, but will head to Baltimore with the club.

Valdez finally got an out when Wenceel Pérez grounded out, but Javier Báez hit an RBI single to make it 6-0.

Báez made it a seven-run game in the third with another RBI single. The Astros ended their 31-inning scoreless streak on Mauricio Dubón’s two-run homer in the fourth.

Key moment

Houston nearly ended their scoreless streak in the third inning. Jeremy Peña led off with a double and took third on Carlos Correa’s fly ball to right. Morton, though, got Jose Altuve and Christian Walker to pop out to short.

Key stat

The game was Detroit’s 13th in 13 days.

Up next

Houston visits Baltimore for a four-game series. RHP Jason Alexander (3-1, 4.74) is scheduled to start Thursday’s opener against RHP Brandon Young (1-6, 5.68).

Detroit begins a series Friday at Kansas City. RHP Casey Mize (12-4, 3.63) is scheduled to start for the Tigers.

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