Overview

• The win snapped a five-game losing streak and avoided a sweep, ending a seven-game skid against Oakland.
• Valdez allowed one run on seven hits over seven innings with 10 strikeouts after entering with a 1-7, 6.80 ERA over his previous nine starts.
• Houston scored early and often against J.T. Ginn, finishing 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position as Isaac Paredes added two RBI singles despite a hamstring issue and Jeremy Peña and Yordan Alvarez remained out.
• The victory moved Houston to within a half-game of Detroit for the final AL wild-card spot, with the Tigers owning the tiebreaker and their game against Cleveland still to be decided.
• Oakland rookie Nick Kurtz homered twice to reach 35 on the season, while Bryan Abreu recorded the final three outs after Nick Hernandez faltered in the ninth.