History was made Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park. Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez no-hit the Cleveland Guardians (HOU 2, CLE 0) only a few hours after the defending World Series champions reacquired Justin Verlander in a trade with the New York Mets. Valdez is the first lefty in Astros history to throw a no-hitter.
Here is the final out:
All that stood between Valdez and a perfect game was a leadoff walk to Oscar Gonzalez in the fifth inning. He was erased later in the inning on a double play. Valdez faced the minimum 27 batters in the no-hit effort and needed only 93 pitches to do it. That is the fewest pitches in a no-hitter since David Cone needed only 88 in his perfect game on July 18, 1999.
Most no-hitters feature that one great defensive play to keep it alive, but not Valdez's. He was in cruise control all night. According to Statcast, the Guardians did not put a single ball on play with better than a 50/50 chance of going for a hit based on exit velocity and launch angle. Only five balls in play had even a 30% chance of going for a hit.
The no-hitter is the 16th in Astros history and their first single-pitcher no-hitter since Verlander no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 1, 2019. Houston threw two combined no-hitters last year: June 25 against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium and World Series Game 4 against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Astros catcher Martin Maldonado has now caught three no-hitters, tied for the third-most ever. He was behind the plate for Houston's no-hitter at Yankee Stadium last year and also their combined no-hitter against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 3, 2019. Only Carlos Ruiz and Jason Varitek have caught more no-hitters (four each).
This is the 15th time the Cleveland franchise has been no-hit in a nine-inning game and the first time since rebranding as the Guardians last season. They were last no-hit by the Milwaukee Brewers on Sept. 11, 2021. Corbin Burnes (first eight innings) and Josh Hader (ninth inning) combined for that one.
Valdez threw the third no-hitter in baseball this season. Yankees righty Domingo Germán threw a perfect game against the Oakland Athletics on June 28 and three Detroit Tigers pitchers combined to no-hit the Toronto Blue Jays on July 8.
Cam Gallagher lines out softly to end it. Total dominance of the Guardians. Nothing was ever particularly close to a hit. It's the 16th no-hitter in Astros history and Valdez did it on 93 pitches.
Framber gets Straw to fly out weakly for the second out of the ninth inning. One out away from history. He's thrown only 92 pitches.
Silly to say during a no-hitter, but the Guardians' at-bats barely look competitive against Valdez. He's in complete control.
Valdez gets Arias to ground out weakly to second for the first out of the ninth inning. Been a lot of quick and easy outs thus far. He's two outs away from a no-hitter.
Was not even nine months ago, when Cristian Javier started a combined no-no in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series
No surprise here. He's thrown only 81 pitches and has faced the minimum 24 batters. He did issue a walk in the fifth inning, though that runner was erased on a double play. That walk is all that stands between Valdez and a double play.
Valdez will face Gabriel Arias, Myles Straw and Cam Gallagher
Hello and welcome to Framber Valdez's no-hit bid. The Astros have made two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth and have a 2-0 lead. Framber will be back on the mound trying to finish it momentarily.
