The Houston Astros wrapped up their series against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a commanding 8-2 victory Thursday night, fueled by a standout performance from Framber Valdez and a breakout showing by rookie Jacob Melton.
Valdez delivered seven strong innings, striking out a season-high and earning his fifth consecutive win. He limited the Pirates to just two runs on five hits, showing poise even after a rain delay of over three hours Isaac Paredes powered the offense with two home runs—his 13th and 14th of the season—providing crucial runs in both the fourth and ninth innings.
Jacob Melton, making only his second week in the majors, contributed two hits, including a two-run single that helped break the game open in the fourth inning Jeremy Peña added three hits and an RBI, continuing his hot streak since moving to the leadoff spot.
The Pirates, despite two hits and two runs from Jared Triolo, couldn’t capitalize on key opportunities and have now dropped four of their last six games. Mitch Keller took the loss for Pittsburgh, allowing six runs over 1/3 innings.
Houston now heads to Cleveland riding momentum, while the Pirates look to regroup against Philadelphia in their next series.
