Jack Leiter's no-hit bid in duel with Framber Valdez ends in letdown as Rangers fall to Astros

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jack Leiter still had a no-hit bid going in the seventh inning after the Texas rookie right-hander and Houston lefty Framber Valdez matched zeros through each of their first nine outs.

The son of retired major league pitcher Al Leiter first noticed the day could be special when neither team had a hit through three innings of an eventual 4-3 victory for the Astros on Sunday.

Leiter wasn't with the big league club the previous time Valdez was on the mound at the home of the Rangers last August, when the two-time All-Star lost a no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth inning on Corey Seager's two-run homer.

Valdez got the win back then in a 4-2 Houston victory and again this time thanks to Isaac Paredes' go-ahead, three-run homer in the eighth off Robert Garcia as the Texas rivals split a four-game series.

“I think every game is its own learning experience,” Leiter said after pitching into the eighth inning for the first time in 13 career big league starts over two seasons. “That’s all I’m trying to do is soak it in as much as possible and learn as much as I can.

“Obviously there’s a lot of positive takeaways to build off of this one,” Leiter said. “Very unfortunate we don’t get the win on a getaway day, win the series, all that. We’ve got a lot of things going good for us there.”

Leiter lost his no-hit bid on Yainer Diaz's solo homer with two outs in the seventh, which pulled Houston to 3-1. The 25-year-old who was taken second overall in the 2021 amateur draft struck out Zach Dezenzo to finish the seventh, but gave up soft singles to Jake Meyers and Cam Smith leading off the eighth.

Chris Martin replaced Leiter but exited with right shoulder discomfort after one pitch. Garcia, a lefty, got two outs before Paredes' seventh homer.

“Balls found holes that inning,” Leiter said. “All day they weren’t finding holes. Start the eighth, still make good pitches, and two of them find holes. You leave the game with two runners on and no outs, you’ve got to hold yourself accountable to those. That’s a really tough ask out of the bullpen.”

Valdez was perfect in five of his first six innings, the exception being a three-run fourth that started with three consecutive singles. The 31-year-old escaped trouble in the seventh, setting the stage for the rally.

Nine months ago, Valdez's only wobble came with two outs in the ninth, when he allowed a walk ahead of Seager's shot. He said that outing wasn't on his mind as he cruised through three more innings this time.

“I’m not focused on what happened last time I was here,” Valdez said. “I’m focusing on what’s happening now. I felt like I had seven very good innings.”

Houston manager Joe Espada only saw the first two-plus innings of Leiter's effort live. He was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the third.

“He’s got great stuff,” Espada said. “Explosive fastball, sliders. He works on the edges. He was efficient. I never give up on our guys. We’re going to give you a run for your money.”

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Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, right, takes the ball from starting pitcher Jack Leiter (35) during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Houston Astros' Zach Dezenzo, left, and teammate Yainer Diaz, right, celebrate after Diaz hit a home run off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter during the seventh inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter comes off the field after pitching against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter throws during the first inning against the Houston Astros in a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Jerome Miron)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A shooting outside a church building in Salt Lake City killed two people and injured six others Wednesday, police said.

The shooting took place in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

Dozens of people were attending a funeral inside at the time. All the victims were adults.

Police said they do not believe the shooter had any animus toward a particular faith.

“We don’t believe this was a targeted attack against a religion or anything like that,” Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said.

Police also do not believe the shooting was random. Authorities said no suspect was in custody.

About 100 law enforcement vehicles were at the scene in the aftermath, and helicopters flew overhead.

“This should never have happened outside a place of worship. This should never have happened outside a celebration of life,” Mayor Erin Mendenhall said.

The church was cooperating with law enforcement and was grateful for efforts first responders' efforts, a spokesperson said.

“We extend prayers for all who have been impacted by this tragedy and express deep concern that any sacred space intended for worship should be subjected to violence of any kind,” Sam Penrod said in a statement.

The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, and about half of Utah’s 3.5 million residents are members of the faith. Churches like the one where the shooting occurred can be found in towns throughout the city and state.

The faith has been on heightened alert since four people were killed when a former Marine opened fire in a Michigan church last month and set it ablaze. The FBI found that he was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against the church.

Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Hannah Schoenbaum)

Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP)

People hug each other after a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP)

Funeral attendees leave a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after a fatal shooting in the parking lot in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Laura Seitz/The Deseret News via AP)

Police respond to a fatal shooting in a parking lot of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025. (Rio Giancarlo/The Deseret News via AP)