Framber Valdez recorded the first complete-game shutout of his career and the visiting Houston Astros rolled to a 7-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday.
Valdez (15-5) limited Detroit to six hits and one walk while striking out eight in his 24th consecutive quality start for the Astros (91-50).
Kyle Tucker drove in three runs, while Jeremy Pena supplied three hits, two runs and an RBI.
The Tigers (54-87) were shut out for the second consecutive game and a club-record 21st time this season.
Detroit starter Eduardo Rodriguez (3-5) gave up five runs and 10 hits in five innings.
Jose Altuve led off the game with a single and then stole second. Pena brought him home with another single. Pena also stole second and scored on Alex Bregman’s one-out base hit.
Riley Greene reached third in the bottom of the inning on a walk, wild pitch and error. He was cut down trying to score on Javier Baez’s fielder’s choice grounder. After an Eric Haase single, Spencer Torkelson was retired on a long fly ball.
Houston made it 3-0 in the third. Singles by Pena and Yordan Alvarez and a walk to Bregman loaded the bases with one out. The Tigers turned a double play against Tucker, but the first out was recorded at first base, so Pena’s run counted.
Detroit nearly scored a two-out run in the bottom of the inning. Willi Castro hit a double and was originally called safe at home on Baez’s single. Houston challenged the call, and it was determined that catcher Martin Maldonado tagged him out before he reached the plate.
Houston had a runner thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice in the fifth but still added two more runs for a 5-0 advantage. The first one scored on a Tucker groundout and Yuli Gurriel ripped a double to knock in Bregman.
The Astros loaded the bases with two out in the ninth against Will Vest. Tucker then smacked a single to drive in two runs.
–Field Level Media