HOUSTON-
Working closely with Framber Valdez, Houston catcher Martin Maldonado is enjoying a front row seat to the journey that has propelled the left-hander into one of baseball’s top pitchers in his fifth season.
“It’s a lot of calm, a lot of confidence and a lot of maturity from him,” said Maldonado. “He knows what good he can do. Listen more and be proud of the work, less emotional on the hill. So I saw how much is being put into (his growth).”
Valdez set a major league record with his 25th straight start, and Yordan Alvarez and Maldonado each had four RBIs in the Astros’ 11-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
Alvarez, who is second in the AL with 37 home runs, drove in three runs with a double in Houston’s five-run third inning. In the sixth, he hit an RBI double.
Alvarez extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games. He accumulated nine hits, four home runs and nine RBIs in the series, helping Houston win three of four.
Valdez (16-5) allowed two carries and four hits in six innings to overtake Jacob deGrom (24 in 2018) for most consecutive quality starts in a single season in MLB history. Valdez, who threw his first career shutout in his last start, is 15-4 during his streak that began April 25.
“It’s one of those things that just goes on your resume, and to be able to have a record like that means a lot to me,” he said through a translator.
Valdez’s career-best 16 wins sits second in the AL behind teammate Justin Verlander (17) and his 2.57 ERA is sixth.
Manager Dusty Baker raved about the consistency Valdez has brought to the team this season.
“It’s a remarkable series,” Baker said. “There were some great pitchers that he surpassed in breaking that record and I’m just glad he did it and we won the ball game.”
Maldonado set a career high with his first four-scoring game since 2015 and scored four goals for the first time in his 12-year career. He hit three times before hitting a three-run homer to the left with two outs in the seventh.
Oakland rookie Ken Waldichuk (0-2) was tagged for five carries and five hits in 2 2/3 innings in his fifth career start.
Dermis Garcia hit a two-run double in game six, but the Athletics couldn’t get much more going offensively as they lost for the fourth time in six games.
“This team has been competing throughout the year,” said manager Mark Kotsay. “We fight. We showed that. We’re playing some good baseball teams right now that will be there in the postseason. … It’s a test, and we’re going to keep grinding.”
TRAINING ROOM
Athletics: OF Ramon Laureano has been put on the injured list with a right thigh strain. INF Jordan Diaz was recalled by Triple-A Las Vegas to take his spot on the list. Diaz made his major league debut and scored his first hit on a single with an out in the seventh.
NEXT
Athletics: JP Sears (2-2, 5.13 ERA) starts for Oakland in the opener of a three-game series against Seattle on Tuesday night.
Astros: Luis Garcia (12-8, 4.04 ERA) beat Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen (10-5, 2.77) in the opener of a three-game series Monday night.