In advance of their final homestand of the season, a seven-game set that starts Thursday night against the Los Angeles Angels, the Houston Astros muffed a shot to reduce their magic number to clinch the American League West by losing 4-0 to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

For five innings Wednesday, two aces traded zeroes, one dispatching hitters in rhythm, the other defusing jams. One swing, then, offered separation and illustrated the quality of a taut series. Manny Machado arrived at home plate in the sixth for his third at-bat against Framber Valdez.