HOUSTON (AP) — Framber Valdez will start Game 2 of the World Series for the Houston Astros on Saturday night against Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Valdez, a 28-year-old left-hander, was 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA during the season. He started Game 2 of the Division Series against Seattle and didn’t get a decision, allowing two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and three walks.
Valdez won Game 2 of the AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees on Oct. 20, giving up four hits in seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts and no walks.
He started Games 1 and 5 of last year’s World Series against Atlanta and went 0-1 with a 19.29 ERA and four homers allowed in 4 2/3 innings.
Valdez lasted just two innings in the opener, giving up a leadoff homer to Jorge Soler and an RBI double later in the first to Austin Riley and then a two-run homer to Adam Duvall in the third inning of a 6-2 defeat.
He didn’t get a decision in Game 5, allowing home runs to Duvall and Freddie Freeman and giving up five runs in 2 2/3 innings. Houston rallied from a four-run deficit to win 9-5.
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