Framber Valdez has no-hitter through 8 innings for Astros against rival Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Houston pitcher Framber Valdez has not allowed a hit through eight 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 faced the minimum of 18 batters through six. Houston led its AL West and Texas rival 2-0.

The perfect game ended when Jonah Heim opened the sixth by reaching on third baseman Alex Bregman’s throwing error. Robbie Grossman then grounded into a double play before Ezequiel Duran was called out on strikes.

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.

Marcus Semien walked with two outs in the seventh to finally get a fourth batter to the plate in an inning for Texas, but Josh Jung struck out on three pitches. It was Valdez's fifth strikeout.

Valdez had thrown 93 pitches, 61 strikes, through eight innings, getting through the eighth with routine flyouts from Wyatt Langford, Adolis García and Heim.

It's been a little more than a year since Valdez threw the 16th no-hitter in Houston history in a 2-0 victory over Cleveland on Aug. 1, 2023. Ronel Blanco made it 17 against Toronto on April 1.

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 entered the game 5-0 in his previous seven starts, all Houston victories. He was scratched from his other scheduled start against Texas this season after losing to the World Series champions twice in the AL Championship Series last fall.

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