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Astros turn to Framber Valdez to snap losing streak and avoid sweep
Jul 31, 2024, 2:58 pm
The Astros have lost three straight games. Composite Getty Image.
Pittsburgh Pirates (55-52, second in the NL Central) vs. Houston Astros (55-52, second in the AL West)
Houston; Wednesday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Jake Woodford (0-2, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, seven strikeouts); Astros: Framber Valdez (9-5, 3.43 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 98 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -213, Pirates +178; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros take on the Pittsburgh Pirates after Yainer Diaz had four hits against the Pirates on Tuesday.
Houston has a 55-52 record overall and a 30-24 record at home. The Astros have the eighth-ranked team ERA in the AL at 4.03.
Pittsburgh has a 29-26 record on the road and a 55-52 record overall. The Pirates have gone 35-7 in games when they scored five or more runs.
The teams meet Wednesday for the third time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jose Altuve has 21 doubles, 14 home runs and 47 RBI while hitting .309 for the Astros. Diaz is 15-for-39 with two doubles, a triple and three home runs over the last 10 games.
Bryan Reynolds has 20 doubles, three triples and 18 home runs while hitting .287 for the Pirates. Oneil Cruz is 9-for-39 with three doubles, a triple and three home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 4-6, .266 batting average, 4.34 ERA, outscored by seven runs
Pirates: 6-4, .227 batting average, 2.73 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs
INJURIES: Astros: Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Pirates: Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 10-Day IL (knee), Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carmen Mlodzinski: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Joshua Palacios: day-to-day (hamstring), Ji-Hwan Bae: day-to-day (knee), Nick Gonzales: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Jared Jones: 15-Day IL (lat), Ryan Borucki: 60-Day IL (tricep), Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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The Astros know how to win these games, and it shows
Jun 29, 2025, 4:28 pm
Kyle Tucker launched a three-run homer and matched a season high with four hits against the team that traded him in December, and the Chicago Cubs routed Houston 12-3 on Saturday night to stop the Astros' five-game winning streak.
Tucker also scored four times to pace a Cubs lineup that pounded out 15 hits, including three by Dansby Swanson. Seiya Suzuki, Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner also went deep.
Chicago hit three homers in an inning for the second time this season during a seven-run fourth. Busch and Hoerner had back-to-back solo shots to put the Cubs on top 3-2, and Tucker’s drive made it 7-2.
The offensive outburst came in support of Colin Rea (5-3), who allowed two runs and five hits over five innings. The only blemish on his line was rookie Cam Smith’s two-run homer in the third, which briefly gave the Astros a 2-1 lead.
Smith, part of the package Houston received for Tucker, finished with two hits and has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Lance McCullers Jr. (1-3) came off the injured list and allowed eight runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings.
Isaac Paredes, also part of the Astros' trade return for Tucker, hit his 17th home run.
Key moment
Tucker’s three-run homer in the fourth that put the Cubs ahead 7-2.
Key stat
McCullers has a 10.89 ERA in five home starts this season, but hasn’t allowed an earned run in three road starts.
Up next
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (8-4, 2.88 ERA) opposes RHP Jameson Taillon (7-5, 4.77 ERA) when the series concludes Sunday.