Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros achieved a remarkable feat on Tuesday night by pitching a no-hitter against the Cleveland Guardians. The left-handed pitcher threw the 16th no-hitter in Astros history, leading his team to a 2-0 victory.
Valdez allowed only one baserunner in the game, walking Oscar Gonzalez in the fifth inning. However, thanks to a double play in that frame, Valdez still faced the minimum number of batters. In the ninth inning, Gabriel Arias grounded out, Myles Straw lined out, and Cam Gallagher lined out to Jeremy Pena, sealing the no-hitter and igniting the celebration.
This achievement adds to Valdez’s impressive career, as he has already pitched five complete games, including two shutouts, prior to this game. The no-hitter by Valdez is the third in the major leagues this season, with the previous ones thrown by Domingo Germán of the New York Yankees and a combination of pitchers from the Detroit Tigers.
Notably, this is the first regular-season no-hitter for the Astros since June 25, 2022, when Cristian Javier, Hector Neris, and Ryan Pressly combined to no-hit the New York Yankees. It is also the first no-hitter thrown by a single Astros pitcher since Justin Verlander accomplished the feat against the Toronto Blue Jays on September 1, 2019.
The Astros’ offense was led by Kyle Tucker, who provided the only offense of the game with a two-run single in the third inning. Valdez, meanwhile, dominated on the mound, retiring the first 12 batters he faced, with six strikeouts. He finished the game with a total of 93 pitches, 65 of which were strikes.
Valdez’s impressive performance follows a subpar outing in his previous start when he allowed eight hits and six runs in just 3 2/3 innings against the Texas Rangers. However, he bounced back in a remarkable fashion to deliver the no-hitter.
The victory against the Guardians came shortly after the Astros reacquired their ace pitcher, Justin Verlander, in a trade with the New York Mets. Verlander is no stranger to no-hitters himself, having thrown one during his time with the Astros in 2019.
The Astros, known for their strong pitching staff, continue to make history with Valdez’s no-hitter. Going forward, they will look to build on this accomplishment and maintain their momentum as the season progresses.
In the next game of the series, the Cleveland Guardians will start right-handed pitcher Tanner Bibee, while the Astros have yet to announce their starting pitcher. Both teams will surely be eager to make their mark after Valdez’s historic performance.
Overall, Valdez’s no-hitter serves as a testament to his skill and determination, further solidifying the Astros’ reputation as a formidable team in Major League Baseball.
