Houston, Texas – Framber Valdez, the Dominican left-handed pitcher, shone on the mound, guiding the Houston Astros to a crucial 4-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies this Wednesday at Daikin Park. The match took place amidst the intense battle for playoff spots in the American League. Valdez, who hadn’t secured a win in over a month, delivered a stellar performance by pitching seven scoreless innings. He limited the Rockies to just three hits and two walks, while accumulating five strikeouts. This outstanding performance recalled the consistency that characterized him during his impressive streak between May and July, a period in which he recorded a 10-0 record and an ERA of 1.86 in 13 consecutive starts.
The bullpen maintained the shutout with the impeccable work of Bryan King and Bryan Abreu, also Dominican. This result marked Houston’s tenth game without allowing runs this season. In terms of offense, Cuban Yordan Álvarez, who returned this week after more than three months on the injured list, hit a 421-foot home run to center field in the eighth inning, this being his first home run since his return. Cam Smith, the rookie, also contributed a home run in the seventh inning. Jesús Sánchez, from the Dominican Republic, drove in the first run of the game with a single in the first inning. From Colorado’s side, starter Chase Dollander put in a solid performance by pitching six innings allowing one run, but his team didn’t provide him with the necessary offensive support. With this victory, the Astros consolidate their position at the top of the American League West Division, maintaining a 1.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners.“We needed this outing from Framber. He showed aggression and went back to being that starter who controls the game from the start,” commented Omar López, bench coach, who managed the team in the absence of manager Joe Espada, due to health issues.
Omar López
