HOUSTON — Two of the best and most battle-tested lefties in baseball hooked up Tuesday night for the sort of pitchers’ duel any fan can enjoy, a tight game between a pair of first-place teams that was scoreless until the bottom of the eighth.

Ranger Suarez’ one and only mistake of the night came on his 98th pitch, an 84 mph full-count cutter to light-hitting Cooper Hummel, who entered the night with a .158 career batting average. Suarez wanted it up-and-in. It was over the middle, slightly away, and Hummel took it to the opposite field for a solo home run. That was the only offense from either side in a 1-0 Phillies loss.

“It’s just baseball,” Suarez said. “You can’t miss pitches at this level and I paid for it. I’m proud of it being a good start but you can’t miss pitches at this level.”

He deserved a better fate after tossing another gem. Suarez allowed just four hits over 7⅔ innings and has a 2.08 ERA on the season. Of his last 61 innings, 54 have been scoreless and he’s gone 47 in a row without allowing multiple runs.

When he’s healthy, so many of Suarez’ starts look just like this one — quick outs, limited baserunners, impeccable defense. He started a double play to end the fourth inning when he caught a Jose Altuve liner back to the mound and tossed to first base. He made an even better grab on a line drive back to the mound the next inning by Cam Smith.

“It just seems like every night, there’s one or two plays that are Ranger Suarez plays,” manager Rob Thomson said.

The lefty snagged both without his own glove. Suarez, a Rawlings guy, used Cristopher Sanchez’ Wilson glove on Tuesday night because he forgot his own back home in Philly.

“Both plays were really tough and I got scared on both,” he said. “First play was coming to the crotch and the next one to the face. It was scary.”

Prior to the Hummel homer, Suarez had outdueled Framber Valdez, who the Phillies never hit. Valdez has faced the Phils five times, including twice in the 2022 World Series, and allowed five runs. These have been the lines:

• 5 IP, 0 R, 10 K
• 7 IP, 3 R
• 6⅓ IP, 1 R, 9 K
• 6 IP, 1 R, 9 K
• 7 IP, 0 R

The Phillies taxed him, particularly early, but couldn’t find the one hit they needed. They put two men on base with two outs in the first inning, had two on with nobody out in the second, a leadoff baserunner in the third, two on with one out in the fourth and again in the sixth.

“I thought our approach was pretty good,” Thomson said. “We weren’t getting out of the zone early and we had opportunities, it just didn’t happen. Valdez made pitches when he needed to.”

So did Suarez, just as he has for seven consecutive weeks. He has a 1.17 ERA in his last nine starts.

Suarez and Valdez will be the top two left-handed starting pitchers on the free-agent market this winter. Suarez turns 30 in August. Valdez turns 32 in November. Valdez has a better track record of durability but Suarez is pitching himself toward a $100 million contract, as well.

It’s been another stellar first half for a pitcher some thought might end up back in the bullpen, where the Phillies have less depth. Suffice it to say, that ain’t happening, but Suarez continues to say all the right things.

“That conversation was never brought up to me and I always wanted to be a starter this year,” Suarez said. “That’s my usual role and what I wanted to do but that being said, what I want is for this team to win. I’m open to do whatever it takes to help, if that’s relieving or whatever. I’m always open and willing to help this team.”