Valdez throws 7 sharp innings, Diaz and Altuve homer as Astros shut out White Sox 2-0

HOUSTON (AP) — Framber Valdez threw seven sharp innings for his eighth straight win and Yainer Diaz and Jose Altuve homered to help the Houston Astros to a 2-0 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.

The win was Houston’s 10th in 11 games and it moved the AL West leaders to a season-best 11 games over .500 at 67-56.

Bryan Abreu struck out two in the eighth and Josh Hader fanned two in the ninth to complete the three-hitter. Hader has converted his last 27 save opportunities, which extends a franchise record.

Diaz opened the Houston sixth with his shot to the seats in left field off rookie Ky Bush (0-2) to make it 1-0. The home run came after Diaz was robbed of one on a spectacular catch by rookie Dominic Fletcher in the first inning.

“It would have been nice to have that early home run, but he made a great play,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “But (Diaz) is putting up some good swings, hitting the ball hard.”

Altuve connected off John Brebbia with no outs in the eighth to make it 2-0.

Valdez (13-5) allowed just three singles and struck out nine to win his career-best eighth consecutive decision over his last 10 starts. The left-hander, who pitched a no-hitter last season, nearly had another one Aug. 6 before the Rangers broke it up with two outs in the ninth.

“Really, really, really good. That’s what we expect out of Framber,” Espada said. “Just quality start after quality start. Stuff, it was unbelievable how good it was. Fastball, breaking ball, everything in the zone. A strong performance.”

Nicky Lopez hit a leadoff single before Valdez retired the next 11 batters. Andrew Vaughn singled with two outs in the fourth but Valdez struck out Korey Lee to end the inning.

Lenyn Sosa got Chicago’s second hit on a single with one out in the fifth. Valdez still faced the minimum in that inning after Fletcher grounded into a double play.

Andrew Benintendi singled with no outs in the seventh and Valdez struck out Vaughn before another double play ended his day.

“I feel very proud of all the work that I’ve been able to do and all the work that the team has been able to do,” Valdez said in Spanish through a translator. “And I definitely take pride in being able to go out there and help the team win and just try to be consistent every single time I go out there.”

Bush yielded four hits and a run with five walks over six innings in his third major league start.

“I thought he looked great,” interim manager Grady Sizemore said. “I thought he was doing a great job of just pounding the strike zone, battling. That was the best I've seen him so far. So, I was really happy with that outing.”

Altuve and Jeremy Peña both singled to start the first before Fletcher’s home run robbery. The rookie jumped at the low wall and reached back into the stands to grab the ball hit by Diaz and leave the catcher stunned.

Jake Meyers grounded into a double play after that, allowing Bush to escape the jam.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros RHP Justin Verlander threw a bullpen and if he feels good on Monday he'll come off the injured list to start Wednesday, Espada said. The 41-year-old ace hasn’t pitched since June 9 because of stiffness in his neck.

UP NEXT

White Sox: RHP Jonathan Cannon (2-6, 4.02 ERA) will start Monday night in the opener of a series at San Francisco. The Giants hadn’t announced their starter.

Astros: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 4.49 ERA) opposes RHP Tanner Houck (8-8. 3.01) in the opener of a three-game series with Boston on Monday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz, right, hugs Jeremy Pena after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Ky Bush throws against the Houston Astros during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Astros' Yainer Diaz rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez throws against the Chicago White Sox during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

WARSAW (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia.

Blinken traveled to Warsaw on Thursday after spending a day in Kyiv with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy during which they pledged to bring the Ukrainian requests to their leaders.

President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are to meet in the United States on Friday amid signs both Washington and London are growing more receptive to allowing the Ukrainians to use their arms to hit targets farther inside Russia than previously okayed.

NATO member Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine, has been supportive of the Ukrainians and Blinken is likely to hear further requests for easing weapons-use restrictions from Polish President Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski.

On Wednesday, Blinken and Lammy announced that the United States and Britain had pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine during their visit to Kyiv. Blinken announced more than $700 million in humanitarian aid, while Lammy confirmed that his country would provide another $782 million in assistance and loan guarantees.

Much of the effort was aimed at bolstering the energy grid that Russia has repeatedly pounded ahead of an expected difficult winter.

Ukraine's wish list is long and non-military assistance is certainly on it, but Ukrainian officials made clear their most important ask is for easing restrictions on where Western weapons can be used. Air-raid sirens sounded repeatedly during the visit, causing delays in their schedule and forcing them to cancel a wreath-laying ceremony.

Blinken said he would bring the discussion with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the missiles “back to Washington to brief the president” and that Biden and Starmer will “no doubt” talk about the issue when they meet in Washington.

“Speaking for the United States, we have adjusted and adapted as needs have changed, as the battlefield has changed. And I have no doubt that we’ll continue to do that as this evolves,” Blinken told a news conference. His language was very similar to that which he used in May, shortly before the U.S. green lit Ukrainian use of U.S. weapons just inside Russian territory.

The diplomatic visit unfolded as Russia’s bigger and better-equipped army bears down on Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and conducts aerial attacks on cities across the country using missiles, glide bombs and drones that claim many civilian casualties.

But relations between Ukraine and its Western partners have been increasingly strained by Kyiv’s repeated appeals for the West’s authorization to use long-range weapons from the United States and other allies to strike targets deeper inside Russia.

That issue took on added urgency after Russia’s latest reported acquisition of ballistic missiles from Iran, but Western leaders have so far balked at Ukraine’s request, fearing that, if granted, it could escalate the war.

Biden has allowed Ukraine to fire U.S.-provided missiles across the border into Russia in self-defense, but has largely limited the distance they can be fired.

Zelenskyy said he hoped for changes to those limitations.

“Let’s count on some strong decisions, at least,” he said. “For us, it’s very important.”

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, second from right, welcomes by Ambassador of the United States to Poland Mark Brzezinski, second from left, as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, center, arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)

U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken waves as he arrives at Chopin Airport in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, Pool)