Looking for inspiration on how to overcome obstacles and rise to the occasion? Look no further than Framber Valdez’s performance in Tuesday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Angels. With a struggling offense, an overworked bullpen, and a three-game losing streak, the Houston Astros were in dire need of a win. That’s where Valdez stepped up to the plate. In what was arguably his best start of the season, he struck out a season-high 12 batters while giving up only one run in eight innings of work. This allowed the Astros to secure an impressive 3-1 victory over the Angels.
Valdez’s performance was nothing short of remarkable. His fastball velocity was up, with an average of 96 mph and a max speed of 98 mph. Valdez relied mostly on three pitches – his cutter, two-seam fastball, and curveball. He threw 75 of his 99 pitches for strikes, getting an impressive 18 swings-and-misses in the process. All of this was thanks to his hard work, both on and off the field. Valdez has been putting in the time at the gym, running, and focusing on his conditioning, all while maintaining a strong work ethic in the clubhouse and on the field.
But Valdez didn’t do it all alone. The game saw contributions from MartÃn Maldonado, who hit a two-run homer off the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani in the fifth inning, as well as Yordan Alvarez, who added an RBI single later in the same inning. This helped the Astros regain the lead and secure the victory. The only runner to reach third base for the Angels was Zach Neto, who hit his first career homer in the third inning.
Astros manager Dusty Baker praised Valdez’s performance after the game, saying, “If you’re striking them out…that helped his cause and our cause. We really needed this game. Seattle beat Texas, we got back to .500 and we beat Anaheim. So it was a good day for us, and a good day for Framber.”
All in all, Tuesday’s game was a great reminder of the importance of perseverance and hard work. When the stakes were high, Valdez rose to the challenge and delivered for his team. So the next time you’re facing a tough obstacle, just remember – with the right mindset and enough effort, anything is possible.
Source: www.mlb.com