Valdez Steamrolls Beantown. Five Run Second Enough to Flatten Bosox 7-1

Tonight it was another silent night for the unfortunate bats facing Framber Valdez. In 7.1 innings pitched Valdez allowed only one run, no walks, five hits, and eight strikeouts.

That unfortunate team was the Boston Red Sox, and even the one run they scored smelled of luck, as the leadoff runner reached base on a hit by pitch that was challenged, followed by an infield hit, a ground out, and a ground ball sacrifice that scored the only Boston run.

Meanwhile, the Astros scored in the first on a Carlos Correa homer that went 310 feet, and in the fourth, on a monster Yordan Alvarez shot to center that went 459 feet.

Sandwiched between, considering who was pitching, the Astros iced the game with a five-run second inning.

It started with consecutive doubles by Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker, followed by a Martin Maldonado two-run single. Myles Straw then walked, and Correa doubled Maldonado home, A walk and a hit by pitch to Alvarez scored another run, and Yuli Gurriel capped off the scoring with an RBI single.

Enoli Paredes finished Valdez’ eighth inning holding the Sox scoreless, and Blake Taylor hurled a scoreless ninth.

Valdez threw 96 pitches, 67 for strikes, 18 of those whiffs, mostly on deadly curves.

The Astros take on the Sox again tomorrow 6:10 CDT. Jake Odorizzi tries to get on track against Nathan Eovaldi.

Box score and videos HERE.