The Astros keep playing first-place baseball. On Tuesday night, it took just one swing from an unlikely hero to shutout the Philadelphia Phillies 1-0 at Daikin Park.
Cooper Hummel, who was added to the Astros' active roster June 14 after signing a minor league contract eight days earlier, hit a solo shot to right center field in the eighth inning.
Framber Valdez pitched seven innings of shutout ball, giving up four hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Bryan Abreu handled the eighth inning and Josh Hader struck out two in the ninth to record his 20th save of the season.
The Astros had just five hits against the Phillies and Hummel, playing in left field, had two of them. He also singled in the sixth inning on a line drive to right field.
It turns out all they needed was the one swing the eighth, when he sent Ranger Suárez's cutter down the middle 390 feet over the wall.