Astros' Valdez, Salazar downplay strange cross-up

Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez said he didn't hit catcher César Salazar on purpose with a pitch when the batterymates got crossed up in the fifth inning of Tuesday's 7-1 loss to the New York Yankees.

The incident came two pitches after Salazar signalled Valdez to step off the mound, which the southpaw ignored. Trent Grisham wound up hitting that offering for a grand slam.

"It was a pitch I wanted to throw," Valdez said postgame through an interpreter, according to Randy McIlvoy of KPRC 2 Houston. "I called for that pitch. ... I wasn't able to locate it. Then afterwards, what happened to us is we just got crossed up. ... When we went to the dugout, I said sorry to him and I take full responsibility for that."

Valdez also added "it was not intentional."

Valdez and Salazar were pulled into manager Joe Espada's office to discuss the play, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

Salazar, meanwhile, said the issue was caused by a PitchCom error.

"Heat of the moment," Salazar told reporters. "Obviously it was a big spot for the Yankees, the stadium was loud. I thought I pressed the (right) button but I pressed the wrong button. I was expecting another pitch. But that wasn't it. But I pressed the wrong button, and yeah. That's what it was."

Salazar, who's made 14 career starts in the majors as a catcher, doesn't believe Valdez threw at him intentionally.

"Me and Framber actually have a really good relationship," the 29-year-old added. "We talked, we've been talking for, mainly for three years now, especially ... last year we talked a lot too, and we have a really good relationship."