The Houston Astros were coming off a 9-1 loss on Saturday night heading into Sunday’s rubber match against the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels took the lead in the fourth but the Astros responded in the middle of the game to take the 8-7 win. The victory gave Houston the series win and improved their record to 45-33.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Houston threatened to score early. With two outs, three-hole hitter Jose Altuve reached on an infield single to LA’s shortstop, Kevin Newman, and Adam Smith singled into right field. Christian Walker left both stranded with a fly out to center field, keeping the game scoreless early.
The Astros continued to record at least one hit over the next couple of innings, yet couldn’t string together enough to put any runs on the board. While that was happening, Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks struck out a pair of Houston batters, back-to-back, in the second inning.
Then, for Houston, their starting pitcher, Ryan Gusto didn’t allow a hit until the third inning when Lamonte Wade Jr singled to begin the bottom of the frame. Outside of that, Gusto struck out three Angel batters through the first three innings. The first being Mike Trout to end the first inning.
Los Angeles did take the lead back in the fourth. With two outs, Taylor Ward doubled into left field and Logan O’Hoppe put up the first runs of the game with a two-run home run over the left field wall. Those hits came after Mike Trout struck out for a second time. The baseball flew 373 feet to put LA ahead by a pair through four.
The Astros responded to open the fifth. Eight-hole hitter Mauricio Dubon began the inning with a 378 foot solo shot out in left and leadoff man, Jeremy Pena did one better by going yard himself, this time the ball traveled 423 feet and was more out in left-center field. The hits didn’t stop there as Jake Meyers singled and stole second before reaching on a fielding error by Angels third baseman Luis Rengifo. Smith also reached first on the play and would score on a double into center field by Walker. That put Houston ahead 4-2.
LA reclaimed the lead their next go around at the plate and it all started with a single by Wade Jr. Gusto struck out Newman but Christian Moore also got a hit and Nolan Schanuel capitalized on his next at-bat, hitting a three-run homer to put the Angels ahead by one through five innings.
The Astros returned the favor in the sixth by putting up four more runs. Cooper Hummel walked and was the last batter Hendricks faced before being pulled for Hunter Strickland. Dubon was who Strickland faced first and the do-it-all utility man for the Astros got the better of the 36-year-old right-handed pitcher by hitting a two-run blast to give Houston the lead. It didn’t stop there as Luis Guillorme singled and scored on an RBI double from Pena, who stretched to third on the play. Peña would then score on a Meyers sacrifice fly, putting Houston ahead 8-5.
Gusto lasted through the first six innings and was replaced by Bryan King before the start of the seventh. King only lasted 2/3 of the inning as Schanuel hit an RBI single into left field to score Rengifo. Bryan Abreu then came in and struck out Trout to end the seventh. Abreu lasted through the eighth and struck out two more Angel batters before being taken out ahead of the bottom of the ninth.
In the final frame, Houston’s Isaac Paredes and Walker singled, but were stranded after Smith lined out as the as final out.
Pinch-hitter Zach Neto went in for Newman and hit a solo home run to cut into Houston’s lead. That was only run LA put on the board as closing pitcher Josh Hader punched out Moore and Rengifo. Trout couldn’t deliver a clutch hit late and lined out to give the Astros the 8-7 win, improving their record to 45-33.
BIG NUMBER: 4
Houston bats put in the most work in the middle innings as they scored all eight of their runs in the fifth and six. They scored four runs in each inning, which was just enough to escape with the win and a five-game cushion in the division standings.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Mauricio Dubon
Dubon was a major factor offensively in those middle innings. He finished the day going 2/4 from the plate with RBI and a pair of home runs as the Astros leave the west coast with an 8-7 win over the Angels.
UP NEXT: The Houston Astros will return home and have a day off before beginning a midweek series versus the Philadelphia Phillies. Game one is set for Tuesday, June 24th and first pitch from Daikin Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. The action can be heard on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette 104.1 Lake Charles.