Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez gave up two runs in eight innings on Tuesday night in a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas.
Valdez (14-4) extended his franchise record to 22 straight games with quality starts (at least six innings while allowing three or fewer earned runs). The 28-year-old struck out eight, including Nathaniel Lowe to get out of the eighth inning.
Hector Neris retired the side in the ninth for his third save.
Valdez allowed two home runs for the first time this season — solo shots by rookies Bubba Thompson and Ezequiel Duran.
Jose Altuve homered, doubled and scored two runs for the Astros.
Rangers right-hander Dane Dunning (3-7) battled through a 40-pitch third inning and grinded his way through five innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on seven hits.
It appeared the 27-year-old wouldn’t last through three innings, as Taylor Hearn was warming up with the bases loaded. Dunning struck out five and left after 95 pitches.
The Astros came out swinging, collecting three hits in the first inning while taking a one-run lead. Altuve led off with a double, and Jeremy Pena’s single put runners on the corners. Alex Bregman lined a sacrifice fly to left field.
In the third inning, the Astros tacked on two more runs, and Dunning was taxed for 40 pitches in the frame. Altuve belted a solo home run, his 22nd homer of the season. With the bases loaded, Christian Vazquez delivered an RBI single to right.
Texas chipped back in the third inning on Thompson’s first major league home run, a no-doubt drive to left.
In the fifth inning, Duran pulled Texas to within a run on a home run to center.
The Astros gained some breathing room in the seventh inning when Yuli Gurriel walked with the bases loaded against Jose Leclerc, forcing in a run that made it a two-run game.
–Field Level Media