Framber Valdez strikes out 10 over 6 1/3 innings and Astros beat Dodgers, 5-0

HOUSTON (AP) — Framber Valdez struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings, Alex Bregman and Jon Singleton hit home runs and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-0 on Friday night.

Bregman hit a solo home run to left in the third inning and Singleton hit a 403-foot two-run homer into the second deck in right in the fourth.

Joey Loperfido had an RBI single in the second and made an outstanding leaping grab to rob Shohei Ohtani of extra bases in the third. Mauricio Dubón added an RBI double in the eighth.

Valdez (9-5) scattered four hits in winning his fourth straight decision. He has allowed three runs or fewer in six of his last seven starts.

Ohtani was 2 for 3 with a walk as the Dodgers were shut out for the fifth time this season.

After Ohtani singled to leadoff the game, Valdez retired 16 straight, including the last six by strikeout, before Gavin Lux singled with one out in the sixth. Valdez proceeded to walk the bases loaded, but he struck out Teoscar Hernández and induced Andy Pages to flyout to end the threat.

The Dodgers had runners on the corners with one out in the seventh, but Bryan Abreu struck out Nick Ahmed, and Bregman tagged out Kiké Hernández, who overran second on Lux's infield single.

Gavin Stone (9-4) yielded four runs on nine hits with three strikeouts in six innings. Stone surrendered four runs for the third time in his last four starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: RHP Luis Garcia (right elbow surgery) threw a 35-pitch bullpen Friday, manager Joe Espada said. … RHP Justin Verlander (neck discomfort) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday, Espada said. … OF Kyle Tucker (right shin contusion) continued to do outfield drills Friday, and “he’s improving but not at the pace we want him to,” Espada said.

DODGERS TRADE

Los Angeles traded LHP James Paxton to the Red Sox in exchange for minor league INF Moises Bolivar.

UP NEXT

Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (1-0, 4.40 ERA) will start Saturday opposite Astros RHP Ronel Blanco (9-5, 2.75 ERA).

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb