ATLANTA, GEORGIA — September 14, 2025 — The Atlanta Braves bounced back from two straight losses to defeat the Houston Astros 8-3 on Sunday, preventing a series sweep at Truist Park. The Braves offense, led by Ozzie Albies and Sandy León, proved too much for the Astros pitching staff.
The Astros got on the board early with a Christian Walker RBI single in the first inning. However, the Braves quickly responded, and the game remained close until the fifth inning when Atlanta broke it open. Starting pitcher Framber Valdez struggled with his command, issuing three consecutive walks to load the bases before Albies delivered a two-run single to give the Braves a 4-2 lead. Sandy León, making his first start in over two years, was a surprise standout for the Braves, hitting a two-run home run in the seventh inning to extend their lead.
On a positive note for Houston, rookie Cam Smith hit his first major league home run, a solo shot in the sixth inning. The Astros offense managed nine hits but struggled to string them together, leaving several runners on base.
The Astros also faced a significant challenge without star second baseman Jose Altuve, who was held out of the lineup with continued soreness in his right foot after being pulled from Saturday’s game. Manager Joe Espada stated that Altuve was “pretty sore” but could have been used in an emergency. The team hopes he will be ready to return when they begin a home series against the Texas Rangers on Monday.
With the loss, the Houston Astros now have a record of 81-69, putting them 0.5 behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. The Texas Rangers are 2.5 games back with a 79-71 record. The Los Angeles Angels (69-80) and Oakland Athletics (69-80) round out the division.
