Valdes set a record with 83 shots, and Diaz said goodbye to help the Astros reverse to the top of the United States

Framber Valdez fully deserved a win in today's performance. The Astros' left-handed pitcher completely overpowered the Rays with a performance of just 83 pitches in nine innings, dismantling opponents with curveballs, stretch balls and speed balls. But when he walked down the pitcher's mound with his final throw, the Astros needed a point to avoid going to the playoff and nullify his winning qualification. Catcher Yainer Diaz ensured his shooting partner and teammates left Diejin Park as winners with a two-out rightfield home run, and the opposing home run against backing pitcher Garrett Cleavinger delivered a dramatic 2-1 victory.

"We're a team fighting for each other," said Diaz, who said his second goodbye in his career. We desperately want to win the game for him. In his second pitch of the season, Valdes equalled Darryl Kile's record for a no-hitter game against the Mets at the Space Dome on Sept. 8, 1993 — the lowest number of pitches ever made by an Astros pitcher since the number of pitches used began in 1988. He made 14 rolling out shots and nine strikeouts.

"This should be the best performance of my career so far," said Waldstein, who threw a no-hitter against the Guardians on Aug. 1 last year (last year's no-hitter against the Rangers ended with a home run by Corey Sieg in the nine-inning, two-out). On Friday, he used just 11 goals in a single game (three times), three other nine-and-a-half and two eight-and-a-half games, and only seven in the sixth game. He handled seven 1-goal sheets, four 2-goal sheets and seven 3-goal sheets.

"It's probably the best we've seen him," said Ray head Kevin Cash, "and when you look back at the footage, he's completely dominated the game. The ball moves sharply, all the balls run to the edge of the good ball belt, and the curved ball has both sharpness and depth. He's a good pitcher, and this game has probably the best quality of his career. Rays second baseman Curtis Mead added, "I feel like everyone is guessing the way the ball goes, but no one seems to be guessing right except José Caballero. "

Valdés was hit by Caballero for the second home run of the game, leaving 24 of the next 25 hitters in vain. The only Rays player on base during that time was Jonathan Aranda, who got to ground on a lucky run from first base when Valdes couldn't fill in on first base. "He was really furious after being hit with a home run," Astros coach Joe Espada revealed. The home run was a flat fly ball aimed at the inside corner and hitting the Crawford Boxes.

"Sometimes something motivates you to play well," Valdes explained, "and I think he had a bit of luck with the second shot. I told myself, 'This is going to be their only score tonight and their last hit,' and that thought went up for the rest of the game. When Valdes was knocked out by Taylor Walls and cardallero on the nineth, Espada signaled for the cowpen to warm up. Diaz (who has only made three of 44 base steals this season) stopped Walls, who tried to steal third base, and the retrial upheld the original verdict and broke up the double-base stealing tactic.

"I have to admit that it's going to be very dangerous to have a second or third base out of a game," Valdes said, "and it's a very important exit for Diaz. Diaz's greatest moment came after the half-set when he blasted the ball into the right field stand against Cliffinger's opening shot (all four of his first shots in the game) to give the Astros their fifth win in six games. It was Houston's 17th most comeback win in the American League, and with the Mariners' playoff loss to the Twins, the Astros moved to the top of the American League West standings.

"It was a great feeling when the whole team celebrated when Diaz came off and brought Valdes home the winning shot," Espada concluded.