Valverde, who escaped a bases-loaded jam Tuesday night while pitching in pain, actually noticed some improvement overnight.

"I thought I'd be worse today," says Valverde, who suffered the injuries after the Dodgers' Orlando Hudson hit a ball off his right ankle. "I feel a lot better."

After being hit in the ankle, Valverde pulled his calf muscle lunging near the foul line trying to retrieve the ball to toss it to first.

"God willing I'll be ready (Thursday)," he said. "Only He knows."

ASTROS 6, DODGERS 5: Thanks to a leadoff home run from Lance Berkman and an RBI single from Ivan Rodriguez after Hunter Pence doubled and took third on a wild pitch, the Astros mounted a two-run rally in the eighth for the come-from-behind victory Wednesday.