Astros’ Framber Valdez throws no-hitter in 2-0 win

HOUSTON, Texas (KPLC) - On the same day in which the Houston Astros traded for Justin Verlander for some starting pitching help, Framber Valdez took the mound against the Cleveland Guardians, and pitched the game of his life, becoming the first left-handed pitcher in Houston Astros franchise history, to throw a no-hitter.

MADE HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/dCwN2X7eul
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 2, 2023

Valdez finished the game with an impressive line, needing just 93 pitches to get through the Cleveland order three times, while striking out seven, and allowing just one base on balls in the fifth inning. Valdez’s only base runner allowed was Oscar Gonzalez in the fifth inning, who reached first on an eight-pitch walk. Valdez had a 1-2 count on Gonzalez, but after Gonzalez fouled off a curveball and a changeup, Valdez threw three consecutive balls, ending his perfect game, but keeping his no-hitter intact.

Two batters later, the Astros turned a double play, meaning no base runners were left on, and in the end, Gonzalez would turn out to be the only batter to reach base, as Valdez faced the minimum 27 batters.

Offensively, the Astros struggled on Tuesday night as well as they recorded just six hits, and their lone runs coming from a Kyle Tucker bloop single in the third inning that scored both Jose Altuve, and Jeremy Pena.

Valdez’s no-hitter is the 16th in Astros franchise history, but just the first by a left-handed pitcher, it is the third no-hitter for Houston in two years, joining the combined no-hitters from Christian Javier, Hector Nerris, and Ryan Pressly in a 3-0 win over the Yankees on June 25th, 2022, and Christian Javier, Bryan Abreu, Rafael Montero, and Ryan Pressly’s during Houston’s 5-0 win in game four of the 2022 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Houston’s 16 no-hitters are the sixth most in Major League Baseball behind only the Dodgers (26), White Sox (20), Red Sox (18), Giants (17), Reds (17), and Cubs (17).