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The late rally complemented the relief work of
right-handers Phil Maton, Seth Martinez, Rafael Montero (1-3),
Ryne Stanek and Hector Neris, who combined to allow one hit and
one walk over five scoreless innings. The quintet totaled eight
strikeouts, and Neris tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.
By taking the opener of a three-game interleague series, Houston
won for the fifth time in six games while Chicago took its third
loss in a row.
Astros left-hander Framber Valdez got off to a promising start,
striking out the side in the first and fanning Seiya Suzuki to
open the second. However, after inducing Cody Bellinger to
ground out, Valdez allowed consecutive two-out baserunners
before escaping the frame. Valdez recorded consecutive
strikeouts to open the third but again surrendered two two-out
baserunners before eluding additional damage. He wasn't as
fortunate in the fourth.
The Cubs touched Valdez for four runs on five hits in the
fourth. Chicago got a trio of singles and a sacrifice fly from
Yan Gomes before Christopher Morel stepped to the plate with two
outs and Trey Mancini and Nick Madrigal aboard.
Morel pulled the Cubs even by bashing his fourth home run 401
feet out to left field. Valdez got too much of the plate with an
0-2 cutter.
Valdez allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks with eight
strikeouts over four innings. It was his shortest outing of the
season.
The Astros spotted Valdez a four-run lead in the bottom of the
first. Jose Abreu delivered a two-run double to left-center that
scored Dubon and Yordan Alvarez, both of whom singled. Jeremy
Pena and Chas McCormick added RBI hits off Cubs right-hander
Jameson Taillon.
Taillon, making just his third start following a stay on the
injured list, allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk while
notching one strikeout over 4 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media
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