Valdez shakes off errors as Astros take Game 2

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2022

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1:03 AM ET

HOUSTON — First, Framber Valdez made a mistake. Then, he made things way worse, and suddenly, the Houston Astros starter found himself trying to prevent Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees from unraveling.

Valdez was working with a 3-0 lead after Astros third baseman Alex Bregman knocked a three-run homer over the Minute Maid Park left-field porch in the third frame, but a half-inning later in the top of the fourth, the Yankees began mounting a counterattack.

The New York offense ignited with an Aaron Judge single to start the inning before designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton tapped a bouncer back to the mound. Valdez took a step off the mound to field the ball, which bounced off the heel of his glove onto the ground. As Stanton hurtled toward first base, Valdez scrambled, diving for the ball and making a throw toward first while falling on his knees. The ball hopped past Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel into right field, and in the blink of an eye, Valdez had runners on second and third with no outs.

“I got a little bit too confident with that ground ball,” Valdez said.

A lesser pitcher might not have held things together, but Valdez did. Although Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo and second baseman Gleyber Torres each knocked in a run with a groundout and single, respectively, to make the score 3-2, Valdez struck out Josh Donaldson and Kyle Higashioka to end the inning.

Disaster averted.

The inning proved to be New York’s biggest offensive opportunity of the night, as Valdez finished his outing by keeping the Yankees at bay, allowing just two hits to the next 14 batters. The Astros lefty finished the night with seven innings pitched, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out nine and walking none. He had 25 swings and misses, the third most in a postseason game since the start of the pitch-tracking era in 2008.

“You always worry about a young player being able to shake off something like that,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “But [catcher Martin Maldonado], the guys on the team, they told him, ‘Hey, forget it. We still got the lead. Go out and pitch.’ He might have shut them out had he not had his own miscues.”

Valdez admitted that a couple of years ago, he might have fallen apart on the mound after making two errors on a single play.

“Back in 2019, I probably would have been done with the game,” Valdez said. “I probably would have lost all focus there at that moment. But those are all things that we work on and continue working hard to be able to focus better and get better in the game.”

For Valdez, his curveball proved to be the difference-maker. He threw it 40 times in 101 pitches, generating 16 swings and misses. During his first trip through the Yankees’ lineup, Valdez struggled to locate and fell behind several batters, creating opportunities for New York’s offense.

“I think the first two innings, I felt I was a little cold. I wasn’t fully warmed up,” Valdez said. “The roof was open, it’s something that we’re not used to playing with usually here. After that inning, I was able to warm up properly. And then the curveball got a lot better from the third through seventh inning. But those are all adjustments we make in the middle of the game, and thankfully it did it.”

For Bregman, the homer marked the 14th in his postseason career, the most in MLB history for a third baseman.

“Just trying to square up a ball is tough off of [Yankees starter Luis Severino],” Bregman said. “He’s one of the best pitchers in the game. I missed under a few fastballs and was fortunate enough to square that one up and give us the lead.”

Bregman slumped in the first half of the season, hitting .238/.356/.408 with 11 homers, but turned things around after the All-Star break, hitting .287/.379/.515 with 12 homers. He had struggled with injuries the previous two seasons, dealing with a hamstring issue in 2020 and a strained quad in 2021. Baker credited Bregman’s health in 2022 for playing a big role in his second-half success.

“He never really got going for a couple years there,” Baker said. “This year, he played more games than anybody, and that gave him time to get his stroke, get his legs together. He’s been remarkable in the second half and into these playoffs. He didn’t have a very good playoff last year. He’s a big-game guy. He enjoys it.”

The Astros, who hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, and Yankees will face off in Game 3 of the ALCS on Saturday in the Bronx, with first pitch at 5:07 p.m. ET.

Sports

Sources: QB Ewers not likely to play vs. Bulldogs

Published

5 hours ago

September 28, 2024

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Sources: QB Ewers not likely to play vs. Bulldogs

Pete Thamel, ESPNSep 28, 2024, 09:00 AM ET
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Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is not expected to play against Mississippi State on Saturday, per sources, as the Longhorns staff is expected to sit him out in order for him to be fully healthy for the game against Oklahoma on Oct. 12.

A final decision on Ewers is expected later Saturday, per sources, but the decision is trending toward allowing him to use Texas’ week off following the Mississippi State game to get healthy. Ewers has been considered week-to-week since injuring his oblique against UTSA on Sept. 14.

Ewers finished the week at nearly 70%, as he practiced Tuesday, was limited Wednesday and ended up limited in practice Thursday to allow him to fully heal. Per sources, the Texas coaching staff wanted to give Ewers the extra rest to ensure he’d return at full strength.

The decision means that Texas will against start backup quarterback Arch Manning, who will make his first career start in an SEC game. Manning made his first start against Louisiana Monroe, completing 15 of 29 passes for 258 yards. He had two touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Ewers’ oblique injury came in the wake of him displaying one of the season’s best performances at Michigan in Week 2, as he threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout Texas win in Ann Arbor.

Mississippi State enters the game on a three-game losing streak, which includes back-to-back blowout home losses to Toledo and Florida. The Bulldogs are trending toward finishing at the bottom of the SEC, as they have one of the country’s worst defenses. They are No. 111 nationally in total defense and No. 107 in scoring defense.

Mississippi State will also be without its starting quarterback, as starter Blake Shapen is out for the year after suffering a shoulder injury against Florida. Michael Van Buren, a true freshman, will make his first career start for the Bulldogs.

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Sources: Georgia DL Williams is a game-time call

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5 hours ago

September 28, 2024

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Sources: Georgia DL Williams is a game-time call

Pete Thamel, ESPNSep 28, 2024, 10:31 AM ET
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Georgia defensive lineman Mykel Williams is a “true game-time decision” for the No. 2 Bulldogs at No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night, according to ESPN sources.

Williams has missed the previous two games with a Grade 2 ankle sprain, which he suffered against Clemson in the opener. He’ll be evaluated in pregame warmups and a decision will be made on his status.

Williams has been limited in practice this week, and it’s expected that if he does play it’ll be at less than 100 percent. He’s also unlikely to play a heavy snap count if he does play, as he’s working his way back.

Williams is a marauding defensive end who is the best player in Georgia’s front seven and is a high-end NFL prospect. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has him ranked No. 4 overall player for the 2025 NFL draft.

Williams started the season hot before injuring his ankle against Clemson, as he had two tackles for loss and three quarterback pressures in that game.

They will be an onus on Georgia’s defensive line, especially on the ends, to help slow Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe in Tuscaloosa.

Georgia’s defensive line will benefit from the return of senior Warren Brinson, who is listed as probable after missing the past two games. Sophomore defensive lineman Jordan Hall is questionable for the SEC showdown.

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Sources: Utah’s Rising game-time call vs. Arizona

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5 hours ago

September 28, 2024

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Sources: Utah's Rising game-time call vs. Arizona

Pete Thamel, ESPNSep 28, 2024, 09:00 AM ET
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Utah quarterback Cam Rising, who has been snakebit by injuries the past two years, is again expected to be a game-time decision against Arizona on Saturday night, sources told ESPN.

Rising has missed No. 10 Utah’s past two games after an injury to his throwing hand that he suffered against Baylor on Sept. 7. He missed all of last season after an ACL tear in the Rose Bowl following the 2022 season.

Rising’s status will undergo the same evaluation process with the Utah staff as before the Oklahoma State game last week. He’ll throw the ball pregame, and his ability to deliver spin and velocity on the ball will determine whether he’ll play, per sources.

As Rising has struggled to recover and get back on the field, one factor that could weigh into the decision is the chance to get him back fully healthy in two weeks. Utah has a bye before they play at Arizona State on Oct. 11.

Rising has practiced this week but remained limited as the staff has attempted to rest his finger.

Freshman Isaac Wilson has started the past two weeks, leading the Utes to victories over Utah State in Logan and in Stillwater against the Cowboys.

Wilson has shown both moments of promise and interspersed those with moments that have illuminated his youth. He threw for 207 yards on 17-of-29 passing against Oklahoma State. He also threw two interceptions. He threw for three touchdowns and 239 yards against Utah State.