HOUSTON (AP) — Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer and Framber Valdez threw eight strong innings to outpitch former teammate Justin Verlander as the Houston Astros snapped a five-game skid with a 4-2 win over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.
Valdez (7-5) took over as Houston’s ace this year following Verlander’s departure after winning the AL Cy Young Award last season. The left-hander didn’t allow a baserunner until the sixth and held the Mets scoreless until the eighth.
The Astros led by one in the third before Bregman connected off Verlander (2-4) for the 150th home run of his career to make it 3-0.
Valdez yielded four hits and two runs with nine strikeouts to leave his ERA at 2.27, which ranks second in the majors. Ryan Pressly pitched a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.
Verlander, who helped Houston to two World Series titles, allowed eight hits and four runs in seven innings in his first meeting against his former team.
Jose Altuve drove in two runs to help the Astros end their longest losing streak of the season and bounce back after an 11-1 walloping in the series opener.
The Mets had just one hit on a single by Mark Canha in the sixth when Tommy Pham singled to right field to start the eighth. Francisco Álvarez then doubled on a ball that rolled to the warning track.
Corey Julks raced to make a nifty catch in left field on a ball hit by Jeff McNeil before a sacrifice fly by Canha scored Pham to cut the lead to 4-1. Eduardo Escobar singled to send another run home before Valdez retired Brandon Nimmo for the third out.
Julks doubled to start Houston’s third before a one-out single by Martín Maldonado. The Astros took a 1-0 lead when Julks scored on a sacrifice fly by Altuve.
Bregman then launched his 10th homer of the season into the seats in left field to make it 3-0.
Julks hit an infield single with no outs in the seventh and moved to second on a groundout by Maldonado for the second out. The Astros pushed the lead to 4-0 when Altuve singled on a grounder to center field.
Valdez was perfect until Canha singled on a liner to shallow right field with one out in the sixth. Valdez still faced the minimum in that inning after Escobar grounded into a double play.
Valdez walked Francisco Lindor with two outs in the seventh before shortstop Jeremy Peña made a nice play on a grounder hit by Pete Alonso to end the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: RHP José Urquidy (right shoulder inflammation) is set to throw his second bullpen Wednesday. Urquidy, who hasn’t pitched since April 30, threw off the mound Sunday for the first time since his injury.
UP NEXT
Houston RHP Cristian Javier (7-1, 2.90 ERA) opposes RHP Tylor Megill (6-4, 4.83) when the three-game series wraps up Wednesday.
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