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With their outfield production qualifying as suboptimal since the loss of injured All-Star Kyle Tucker in early June, the Astros’ recent additions of veterans Ben Gamel and Jason Heyward might fill voids and also lengthen a Houston bench overly reliant upon inexperience.

While Gamel and Heyward contributed to the Astros’ 6-3 win over the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a four-game series on Thursday, it was the bench depth utilized by Houston manager Joe Espada that could pay dividends beyond this series.

Espada exhausted his four-man bench against the Royals, with rookie Zach Dezenzo working a bases-loaded walk in a four-run eighth inning. That came in between timely hits from veterans Victor Caratini and Mauricio Dubon, with Dubon following the Dezenzo walk with a two-run single that scored Gamel and Jeremy Pena.

With Tucker out because of a shin contusion, the Astros still had a pair of rookies on their bench with Gamel and Heyward in the starting lineup, but Espada now has more veterans at the ready when he needs to mix and match late.

“Having pieces that you can go to and that you trust allowed me to make those moves,” Espada said. “And guys being prepared and embracing their roles. Be ready because I’m going to use you, and I’m not afraid to use anyone.”

Left-hander Framber Valdez (13-6, 3.27 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Astros on Friday.

Valdez had his streak of eight winning decisions snapped in his previous outing after allowing three runs on six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in a 3-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. Valdez was unbeaten over his previous 10 starts, posting a 2.39 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 64 innings.

Valdez is 2-2 with a 4.97 ERA over six career appearances (four starts) against the Royals. He faced Kansas City in back-to-back starts last September and allowed eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits and four walks with 15 strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings while splitting a pair of decisions.

Right-hander Seth Lugo (14-8, 3.19 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Royals on Friday.

Lugo allowed six runs (five earned) on a career-high 11 hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in an 11-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. After posting a 2.17 ERA while winning 11 of his first 13 decisions, Lugo is 3-6 with a 5.30 ERA over his last nine starts.

Lugo is 1-2 with a 7.04 ERA across three career starts against the Astros. He earned that lone victory on April 10 after surrendering two runs on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts over six innings in an 11-2 home win.

The Royals had two injuries added to the insult of Thursday’s loss, with leverage reliever Lucas Erceg and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino hurt on the same play in the bottom of the eighth inning. Erceg injured his right hand attempting to field a grounder from Yainer Diaz while Pasquantino appeared to injure his right wrist during a collision with Diaz while attempting to field an Erceg throw.

The status of Erceg and Pasquantino is unclear for the remainder of the series.

“They’re still out getting tested,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “They’re getting X-rays on their hands, so we don’t have much to say yet.”

–Field Level Media