Framber Valdez pitched 8 2/3 no-hit innings before serving up Corey Seager’s two-run homer and the Houston Astros earned a 4-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night at Arlington, Texas.
Valdez walked Josh Smith with two outs in the ninth before Seager walloped a first-pitch slider well over the wall in right-center to end Valdez’s bid at a second career no-hitter. He tossed his first against the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 1, 2023.
Valdez (11-5) exited the game after Seager’s blast. He struck out five and walked three in a 107-pitch effort that helped end Houston’s three-game losing streak.
Josh Hader replaced Valdez and walked Marcus Semien before retiring Josh Jung on a flyout to the warning track in right for his 23rd save of the season.
Valdez initially sidestepped trouble after walking Robbie Grossman to start the ninth, as Ezequiel Duran followed with a grounder to Houston third baseman Alex Bregman, who turned it into a double play.
Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer, Jake Meyers had two RBIs and Jeremy Pena scored twice for the Astros, who won for just the third time in their past nine games.
Seager’s homer was his 24th of the season for Texas, which has dropped eight of its past 11 games.
Valdez retired the first 15 batters he faced before Jonah Heim led off the sixth with a chopper to Bregman, who made a bouncing throw to first that Jon Singleton couldn’t corral.
Heim was quickly erased, though, as Grossman followed with a grounder to Bregman, who started a 5-4-3 double play.
Valdez walked Semien with two outs in the seventh before striking out Jung to keep the Astros ahead 2-0.
In the eighth, Valdez retired Wyatt Langford, Adolis Garcia and Heim on flyouts.
Meyers, Bregman, Alvarez, Jose Altuve and Yainer Diaz all had two hits apiece for Houston.
Tyler Mahle (0-1) gave up one run and five hits in five innings in his Texas debut. He struck out two and walked one in his first big-league outing since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023.
Meyers delivered RBI singles in both the fourth and sixth innings to give Houston a 2-0 lead.
Alvarez gave the Astros some insurance with his two-run blast in the ninth. It was his 21st homer of the season.