Corey Seager made waves on Tuesday night with a two-run home run in the ninth inning, putting an end to Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez’s bid for a no-hitter.
The reigning World Series MVP launched Valdez’s 107th pitch over the right field wall at Globe Life Field, marking Texas’s first hit and runs of the game.
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Seager’s homer came after Josh Smith had drawn a walk, pulling Texas to a 4-2 deficit.
Valdez was on track for the Astros’ second complete-game no-hitter in 2024, and if successful, it would have been the fourth in MLB this season, with Ronel Blanco’s no-no in April being the first.
Dylan Cease of the San Diego Padres and Blake Snell of the San Francisco Giants also achieved complete game no-hitters this year.
After Seager’s blast, Astros closer Josh Hader stepped in to relieve Valdez and clinched the win just two batters later.
Valdez was pursuing his second career no-hitter, the first being against the Cleveland Guardians back in August 2023, where he completed the feat using just 93 pitches.
Throughout most of the game, Valdez seemed poised to replicate that success. He didn’t allow a walk until the seventh inning, and the only Ranger to reach before then was due to an error. By the end of the seventh, he had thrown just 75 pitches.
After a quick eighth inning, it appeared Valdez had the stamina to finish the game. With the Rangers down 4-0, the only concern was whether they could break through with a hit.
A leadoff walk by Robbie Grossman was soon wiped out by a double play, putting Valdez one out away from achieving the no-hitter.
However, Josh Smith managed to coax a walk after a tough six-pitch battle, giving Seager the chance to bat. Seager, known for his slugging prowess, didn’t waste the opportunity, hitting a hanging slider for his 24th home run of the season.
With that, the score stood at 4-2.
Valdez, visibly frustrated, recognized the gravity of the moment as he wrapped up his outing.
While Hader walked Marcus Semien, he eventually got Josh Jung to fly out, sealing the Astros’ victory. Valdez finished with an impressive 8.2 innings of one-hit ball, earning his 11th win of the season.
Last year, Valdez made history as the first lefty in Astros history to throw a complete game no-hitter, and he came dangerously close to making it two on Tuesday.