Pirates blow chance to sweep Astros as Oneil Cruz commits 3 errors
HOUSTON — Mauricio Dubón hit a two-run homer, Framber Valdez struck out 10 in six innings and the Houston Astros came from behind to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Wednesday night.
“It was pretty big, it felt pretty good to help the team win,” Dubón said.
Dubón came in to pinch hit in the sixth inning with the Astros trailing 4-3. He hit a 97 mph sinker from reliever Colin Holderman (3-2) off the signage above the left field seats to give Houston the lead. It was Dubón’s first career pinch-hit homer and helped Houston snap a three-game losing streak.
“Dubón with people on base, you know you're going to get contact,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “Big swing, huge swing.”
Valdez (10-5) settled in after the second inning and gave up four runs on six hits in six innings for his fifth win in his last seven starts. Josh Hader pitched the ninth for his 21st save.
“I just thought I was doing something wrong with my mechanics and maybe I just wasn't executing my pitches, so that's why I decided to change it," Valdez said through a translator about pitching out of the stretch after the second inning. “I started executing my pitches after that and they started getting to where I needed them to get to.”
This is the second time in Valdez's last three starts he's had 10 strikeouts, which ties a season high.
The Pirates led 4-0 but three errors by shortstop Oneil Cruz allowed three runs to score for Houston in the second and third innings. Jeremy Peña scored on a wild pitch after reaching on Cruz's throwing error in the second.
A fielding and throwing error allowed Chas McCormick to score from first in the third inning and Yordan Alvarez to reach third. He scored on a double from Yainer Diaz.
Diaz has a team-leading 59 RBIs this season and since June 3 is batting .348 with nine doubles and 36 RBIs in a 45-game span. He is batting .520 on the Astros current homestand.
Pirates starter Jake Woodford gave up three runs, none earned, on two hits and struck out three in five innings. This was Woodford's first start since June 6 when he was with the Chicago White Sox and only his third of the season.
“I felt good,” Woodford said. “I think it took me a little bit to settle in but once I hit my stride felt like I competed well and got after it.”
Pittsburgh scored all its runs in the second inning, two on Joey Bart’s homer onto the train tracks in left field.
“It's a frustrating game," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “This is a game that we could have won and we let slip away because we didn't play well."
Pirates hitting coach Andy Haines was ejected in the first inning after arguing a strike call on Andrew McCutchen by home plate umpire Nestor Ceja.
Bryan De La Cruz started in right field for the Pirates and went 2 for 4 after being acquired in a trade from the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.
Pirates: OF Joshua Palacios (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list after leaving Monday’s game.
Pirates: RHP Luis Ortiz (5-2, 2.75 ERA) will face RHP Brandon Pfaadt (5-6, 3.92 ERA) when Pittsburgh opens a three-game series against Arizona at home on Friday.
