Jul 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pinch hitter Mauricio Dubón (14) reacts after hitting a two-run house run in opposition to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the course of the sixth inning at Minute Maid Park. Necessary Credit score: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports activities Mauricio Dubon clubbed his first profession pinch-hit house run and the Houston Astros gained their seventh consecutive sport with starter Framber Valdez on the mound, topping the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Wednesday to salve the finale of a three-game interleague sequence.
Dubon turned on a first-pitch sinker from Pirates reliever Colin Holderman (3-2) with two outs within the sixth inning, capping the Astros’ comeback from an early four-run deficit along with his fourth house run of the season. Houston reclaimed a share of first place within the American League West with the victory after the Seattle Mariners fell to the Boston Crimson Sox earlier on Wednesday.
Dubon, who changed Jon Singleton within the order, drove in Yainer Diaz, who adopted his four-hit sport on Tuesday by going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Valdez (10-5) staggered by means of the highest of the second however discovered his footing after the Pirates’ four-run body.
Pirates catcher Joey Bart adopted a leadoff single from Bryan De La Cruz along with his seventh house run, a two-run shot that carried 407 toes to left-center discipline. The Pirates maintained the strain on Valdez, with Jared Triolo plating Ke’Bryan Hayes with an RBI double and later scoring on Andrew McCutchen’s two-out RBI single.
Valdez allowed 4 runs on six hits and recorded a season-high-tying 10 strikeouts over six innings. Relievers Bryan Abreu, Ryan Pressly and Josh Hader every labored a scoreless inning, with Hader pitching the ninth and notching his twenty first save.
The Pirates’ protection failed right-hander Jake Woodford, who made his Pittsburgh debut. Designated for project by the Chicago White Sox on June 7, Woodford signed as a minor league free agent three days later and made the spot begin after the Pirates traded veteran left-hander Martin Perez to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
Woodford allowed two hits, posted three strikeouts and no walks over 5 innings. Nevertheless, three errors by shortstop Oneil Cruz helped Houston rating three unearned runs off Woodford. The primary, a two-base throwing error within the second, allowed Jeremy Pena to succeed in opening the body. Pena later scored when Woodford uncorked a wild pitch to Victor Caratini two batters later.
With two outs within the backside of the third, Cruz shielded left fielder Bryan Reynolds from catching a Yordan Alvarez fly ball, a misplay that enabled Chas McCormick to attain from first. Alvarez took third when Cruz compounded the error with a throwing error, and Alvarez scored when Diaz delivered an opposite-field double that pulled the Astros to inside 4-3.
Woodford retired the ultimate seven batters he confronted following the Diaz run-scoring hit.
–Area Stage Media
