Framber Valdez struck out eight in seven strong innings, teaming with Seth Martinez for a two-hitter, and the Houston Astros defeated the Oakland Athletics 3-0 on Wednesday for their fourth straight win of the season.
Valdez (3-1) allowed both hits and walked two. The left-hander recorded 11 groundouts.
“I was throwing strikes, keeping the ball in the zone and trying to control the runners,” Valdez said through an interpreter.
Valdez has yielded two runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. He said he knew it was important to go deep in the game after Houston had to use five relievers Tuesday after ejecting Ronel Blanco to start the fourth inning following a foreign substance check.
“That was a very strong performance,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “We needed Framber to take us deep into the game, and he did that. That was a really good job.”
Martinez earned his first save of the season.
Oakland’s only hits off Valdez were a weak infield single by J.D. Davis in the fourth and Shea Langeliers’ single in the seventh. The A’s have lost four straight games.
Oakland manager Mark Kotsay called Valdez’s performance “vintage Framber.”
“He had his best stuff tonight,” Kotsay said. “His changeup, slider, curveball. He was in front of our righties with the sinker. When he gets into a rhythm, it’s tough. We pulled a lot of balls on the ground.”
The A’s put runners on first and second in the ninth on Alex Bregman’s error and Tyler Soderstrom’s walk, but Langeliers grounded into a double play to end it.
Jose Altuve singled to lead off the inning, had reached third base on a double by Kyle Tucker and scored on a throwing error by Zack Gelof, who tried to get Tucker to second. Tucker scored two batters later on Bregman’s sacrifice fly.
Mauricio Dubón added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 3-0.
Aaron Brooks (0-1) gave up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings in his first start since September 13, 2019, when he was with Baltimore. It was his first Major League appearance since April 28, 2022.
“He does a great job managing the game, throwing strikes,” Kotsay said. “He gave us a chance to play in the game.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Athletics: LHP Alex Wood was placed on the 15-day injured list due to left rotator cuff tendonitis and LHP Brady Basso was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas to make room for Brooks on the roster. The A’s also recalled LHP Hogan Harris from Las Vegas. INF Darrell Hernaiz (left ankle) was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Astros: OF Chas McCormick (right hamstring discomfort) went 0 for 4 in a start for Double-A Corpus Christi in his third game of an injury rehab assignment.
NEXT ONE
Houston RHP Cristian Javier (2-1, 4.01 ERA) starts Thursday against Oakland RHP Joey Estes (1-0, 1.80 ERA) in the final of the four-game series.
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