ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Houston pitcher Framber Valdez has not allowed a hit through six innings for the Astros against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
The 30-year-old left-hander had a perfect game through five innings, but Valdez still had faced the minimum of 18 batters through six. Houston led its AL West and Texas rival 2-0.
Jonah Heim opened the sixth by reaching on third baseman Alex Bregman’s throwing error, but Robbie Grossman grounded into a double play before Ezequiel Duran was called out on strikes. It was Valdez’s fourth strikeout.
Bregman’s error came when he fielded a high chopper on the run and threw low to first baseman Jon Singleton, who couldn’t make the scoop to keep the perfect game intact.
Texas slugger Corey Seager had one of the hardest-hit outs, flying out to left fielder Yordan Alvarez on the warning track for the second out of the fourth inning.
Valdez needed 60 pitches, 41 strikes, to get through six innings, including just four in the fifth when Josh Jung and Wyatt Langford flied out on the first pitch and Adolis García struck out on four pitches.
Valdez entered the game 5-0 in his previous seven starts, all Houston victories.
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