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 The third baseman drove in a season-high four runs Tuesday in the
Angels' 9-3 win over the Houston Astros at Angel Stadium.
Freese went 2-for-5 with a double and scored a run in his first
major league action since May 2, when a pitched ball broke his right
middle finger.
"We're really happy to have him back," Angels manager Mike Scioscia
said. "He's got a great approach with runners in scoring position.
He's always done well in whatever situation, and he's got the
ability to drive the ball the other way. He just knows his way
around a batter's box."
Designated hitter Mike Trout drove in three runs and contributed two
of the Angels' 12 hits. Second baseman Howie Kendrick added two
hits.
Angels left-hander Tyler Skaggs (4-1) induced nine groundouts and
collected six strikeouts in seven innings. He allowed one run and
five hits, walked one batter and hit another.
"I threw a ton of fastballs against them in my first start," Skaggs
said. "I could tell by the first inning that they were coming out
swinging, so I had to mix it up. The curveball finally felt like I
could throw it for a strike and I could bounce it if I wanted to."
Skaggs, a native of the Los Angeles area, earned his first career
victory at Angel Stadium.
"I grew up being an Angels fan," Skaggs said. "I always get a little
more excitement going on the mound, here. What can I say?"
Second baseman Jose Altuve went 3-for-5 with a double and a run for
the Astros.
The Angels built a 4-0 lead against right-hander Scott Feldman (2-2)
after two innings. In the bottom of the first, Los Angeles turned
two hits, two walks and an error into three unearned runs with two
outs.
First baseman Albert Pujols hit a ground ball that Houston first
baseman Chris Carter bobbled for the error. Left fielder Raul Ibanez
and Kendrick then walked to load the bases.
Freese hit a single to bring home Pujols and Ibanez. Catcher Hank
Conger followed with another single that scored Kendrick.
Carter's error was the first of two for the Astros.
"Obviously, the two errors led to runs," Houston manager Bo Porter
said. "We have been able to stay away from what I call high-level
impact errors."
In the second, Trout hit a sacrifice fly to knock in right fielder
Efren Navarro, who doubled and moved to third base on shortstop
Erick Aybar's single.
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Houston narrowed the deficit to 4-1 when third baseman Matt
Dominguez hit a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth. However,
Trout's run-scoring single in the bottom of the inning restored the
Angels' four-run lead.
Los Angeles then sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth,
scoring three runs on three hits, two walks and an error. Freese's
ground ball that shortstop Jonathan Villar bobbled brought home
Ibanez. Aybar walked with the bases loaded to force in Freese, and
Trout's infield single scored Conger.
Houston added two runs in the eighth. Right fielder George Springer
hit an RBI single and designated hitter Jason Castro added a
sacrifice fly.
Feldman, in his shortest outing of the season, allowed nine hits and
eight runs (three earned) while walking two and striking out four.
"His breaking stuff normally is a lot sharper," Porter said. "He
just didn't have the sharp breaking ball he normally has, and the
ball was elevated."
NOTES: Houston 2B Jose Altuve extended his hitting streak to 12
games, a career best. ... Astros CF Dexter Fowler failed to draw a
walk for the first time in 10 games. ... Houston SS Jonathan Villar
returned to the lineup after missing Monday night's game with a
bruised right hand, and he went 0-for-4. Villar injured the hand
while swinging a bat Sunday. ... Astros OF L.J. Hoes was scheduled
to start but became ill and remained at the team's hotel. ... Los
Angeles sent 3B Luis Jimenez to Triple-A Salt Lake upon activating
3B David Freese from the disabled list. ... Angels DH Mike Trout
reached base in his 15th consecutive game. ... Los Angeles OF Collin
Cowgill returned to the lineup after missing Monday night's game
with a tight hip flexor. He finished 1-for-4. ... Los Angeles
extended its working agreement with Salt Lake through 2016. ... The
attendance was 30,150.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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