ARLINGTON, Texas – Framber Valdez was so steady for eight innings.
A wobbly ninth cost the Houston left-hander his second career no-hitter.
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Valdez was an out away from more history when Texas slugger Corey Seager hit a two-run homer in the Astros' 4-2 victory over the Rangers on Tuesday night.
It had been just more than a year since Valdez's first no-hitter, and the 30-year-old was cruising when he took the mound needing just three outs for what would have been the second this season for Houston.
The 99th pitch from the two-time All-Star finished a leadoff walk to Robbie Grossman, but the 100th was the second Texas double play of the game.
When Ezequiel Duran's bouncer to third baseman Alex Bregman emptied the bases with two outs, the roar from another strong contingent of Houston fans at the home of the Rangers signaled the anticipation.
Josh Smith kept the defending champs alive with another walk, setting up Seager’s 24th homer on the first pitch he saw in the ninth — the 107th and final one from Valdez (11-5). It was the fifth homer in five games for the reigning World Series MVP.
Josh Hader replaced Valdez and walked Marcus Semien before Josh Jung flied out to the base of the wall in right field. It was Hader’s 23rd consecutive save, one shy of Brad Lidge’s franchise record from 2005.
“I try to always go out there trying to have fun,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “Obviously, sometimes I have got to get serious. Went out there and do what I try to do every single time, try and throw strikes on all my pitches and just try to help help the team win.”
Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning that ended up being the difference. Jake Meyers drove in the first two Houston runs with a pair of singles.
Valdez, whose other no-hitter was a 2-0 victory against Cleveland on Aug. 1, 2023, had a perfect game through five innings, but still faced the minimum of 18 batters through six.
The perfect game ended when Jonah Heim opened the sixth by reaching on Bregman’s throwing error. Grossman then grounded into a double play before Duran was called out on strikes.
Bregman’s error came when he fielded a high chopper on the run and threw low to first baseman Jon Singleton, who couldn’t make the scoop about a half step ahead of Heim.
Semien walked with two outs in the seventh to finally get a fourth batter to the plate in the same inning for Texas, but Jung struck out on three pitches.
Valdez cruised through the eighth with routine flyouts from Wyatt Langford, Adolis García and Heim.
He topped out at 96.9 mph on his fastball, but created plenty of soft contact with plenty of off-speed pitches.
“I think the biggest thing is try to go out and try to get outs, try to trick the hitter a little bit,” said Valdez, who struck out five and walked three in 8 2/3 innings.
It was just the third win in nine games for the Astros, who had cooled off since an extended hot streak that helped them overtake Seattle in the AL West. Houston started the day 1 1/2 games behind the Mariners, with Texas five back.
Houston's other no-hitter came from Ronel Blanco on April 1, a rare victory during a 7-19 start before the Astros steadied themselves, and surged in the standings, before another downtown.
“I told him that’s a hell of a performance, in Spanish,” manager Joe Espada said of Valdez. “I used up a few other words in Spanish, but, you know, said we needed that. And we need guys like that to step up and give us innings. And he did.”
Seager had one of the other hardest-hit outs, flying out to left fielder Alvarez on the warning track for the second out of the fourth inning. The homer went 411 feet into the seats right field.
“You’re aware of it all game that you haven’t got a hit yet,” Seager said. “Everybody’s going up there to try to do it. Just fortunate enough it happened.”
Valdez improved to 6-0 over his past eight seven starts, all Houston victories. He was scratched from his other scheduled start against Texas this season after losing to the Rangers twice in the AL Championship Series last fall.
Tyler Mahle made his first start for Texas, and first since April 2023 coming off Tommy John surgery. The right-hander allowed five hits and a run in five innings with two strikeouts. Mahle (0-1) signed a $22 million, two-year contract in December with the Rangers knowing he would rehab most of the season.
UP NEXT
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.67 ERA) is scheduled for the Astros in the series finale after tying a franchise record with eight consecutive strikeouts in his Houston debut, a 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay, following a trade with Toronto. Texas RHP José Ureña (3-6, 3.70) is set for his 27th appearance and eighth start.
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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB