Yordan Alvarez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in the five-run seventh inning by the Astros, who opened a weekend series at Angel Stadium with their fifth win in eight games.
Valdez (5-3) struck out eight in his seventh complete game and his first since his no-hitter last August. Valdez frequently dominates the Angels, including three career outings with at least 12 strikeouts along with five victories in eight career starts at Angel Stadium.
Valdez dedicated his performance to teammate Cristian Javier, who had Tommy John surgery this week and won’t return to the mound until late next season at the earliest.
“It’s one of those games for your record, for yourself, for your future, is really good,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “I spoke to Cristian earlier today, and I told him, ‘I’m going to throw a really good game today, because we need it.’”
Valdez didn’t walk a batter until Taylor Ward drew a walk with two outs in the ninth. Manager Joe Espada decided to allow Valdez to face only one more hitter, and shortstop Jeremy Peña made a diving catch on Kevin Pillar’s line drive for the final out.
Diaz connected for a two-run shot moments after Alvarez put Houston ahead, giving him nine RBIs in the last four games. Diaz homered in every game of the Astros’ series against St. Louis earlier this week, and his blast to left off the Angels’ Hunter Strickland was his seventh of the season.
“When you put in the effort and you get really focused, the results come in ways you’re not even expecting,” Diaz said through an interpreter.
(Ryan Sun / Associated Press)
Before this week’s power surge, Diaz had one homer in his previous 51 games, and none in 39 games since April 11. He hit 23 homers in 2023 in his first full big league season.
“There might have been a little anxiety there, doing a little too much to try to help the team,” Diaz said. “Now I’m being more of the player that I really am. Just trying to be calm and knowing what I can do.”
José Abreu also homered in the eighth for Houston.
Pillar homered for the Angels, whose three-game winning streak ended just short of matching their longest run of the season.
“We faced one of the best pitchers in the game, and he had to be at his best against us, and he was,” Angels manager Ron Washington said.
Griffin Canning (2-6) gave up three runs and seven hits while pitching into the seventh inning.
Houston got two runners past first base in the first six innings, but Trey Cabbage and José Altuve singled to chase Canning in the seventh. Alvarez then put a long double in the gap off Strickland moments after Alex Bregman drew a walk with help from what appeared to be a missed Strike 3 call by home plate umpire Jonathan Parra.
“I thought it was down the middle, but what can you do about it?” Washington said. “It might have made a difference. Get him out there, we probably could pitch around Alvarez. But it didn’t happen. … We still had an opportunity to get out of that inning without giving up five.”
Pillar tied it on the first pitch of the second inning, blasting it 411 feet for his seventh homer of the season and his sixth in 24 games with the Angels.
Injury update: Anthony Rendon took grounders at third base pregame in his gradual return to baseball activities. The $245-million third baseman has been out since April 20 because of a hamstring injury.
Up next for the Angels: Tyler Anderson (5-5, 2.37) has given up one run in each of his last four starts, posting a 1.35 ERA. He faces Hunter Brown (1-5, 6.18), who pitched six solid innings in a 2-1 loss to the Angels last month.