Angels win 6th straight, 3-1 over Astros

[July 01, 2013]  HOUSTON (AP) -- In this era of rebuilding, the Houston Astros are giving young players a chance to prove themselves.

On Sunday that plan didn't go so well.

Josh Hamilton doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and scored on shortstop Jake Elmore's overthrow, helping the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 3-1 and extend their winning streak to six.

Howie Kendrick singled off Jose Cisnero (2-1) leading off the eighth and Albert Pujols struck out. Hamilton then doubled off the wall in left-center. Barnes, the center fielder, threw to Elmore at shortstop, and Elmore badly overthrow the plate for his third error in two games.

The Astros lead the majors with 67 errors.

"Two of the most important fundamentals in baseball are throwing and catching," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "If you give teams extra men on base, odds are, at some point those guys are going to score. We have to do a better job of protecting the baseball."

Elmore, a 26-year-old rookie, was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. He hopes to put this bad stretch behind him.

"Over the past couple of years in Triple-A, I've never had an issue with throwing the ball," Elmore said. "Accuracy has always been a big part of my game. In the first couple of games here, I've had some errant throws, and obviously, that's not good when it's a tied ballgame."

C.J. Wilson won his fourth straight start and Mark Trumbo hit his 18th homer for the Angels, who swept three-game series at Detroit and Houston for their first undefeated trip of at least six games since 2002.

Wilson (8-5) allowed an unearned run, three hits and three walks, and he struck out 10 for his third double- digit strikeout game this season. Ernesto Frieri pitched a one-hit ninth for his 21st save in 23 chances.

Houston starter Lucas Harrell yielded a run and six hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings. He took a comebacker to the lower left leg on a single by Howie Kendrick starting the sixth and fell to the ground for a second before quickly popping back up. Harrell as checked by Houston's trainers before throwing a couple of warm-up pitches and remaining in the game.

"His stuff was probably as good as it had been all year," Porter said. "He battled, and even after taking the shot off the leg, he continued to pitch, which was good to see."

Harrell said he was sore after the game, but that he should be OK.

"After the initial contact, it kind of faded away," he said. "You've just got to go back to making pitches."

Trumbo's fourth-inning homer put the Angels ahead, but Houston tied the score in the sixth. Brandon Barnes singled leading off, stole second and took third on Jake Elmore's bunt single. Jose Altuve hit a line drive to third baseman Alberto Callaspo, who tried to double up Elmore at first but bounced his throw for an error as Barnes scored.

Hamilton, who left Texas to sign a $125 million, five-year contract during the offseason, is hitting just .223, but has started to show signs of breaking out of his slump. He has 11 RBIs in his last 16 games after driving in just 10 in his previous 50 games

Houston put runners at first and second with two outs in the eighth, but Kevin Jepsen struck out Carlos Corporan, who fanned four times Sunday and has 15 strikeouts in his last 20 at-bats.

NOTES: Angels OF Peter Bourjos has a broken right wrist, an injury sustained when he was hit by a pitch from Houston's Jordan Lyles on Saturday. Bourjos is likely to be placed on the 15-day DL Tuesday, when the Angels start a series against St. Louis. ... Houston 1B-DH Carlos Pena will be away from the team until Tuesday due to a death in his family. Porter said Pena's nephew drowned in the Dominican Republic and Pena was traveling there to be with his family. He was not placed on the bereavement list, and the team expects him back for Tuesday night's game against Tampa Bay. ... Houston placed OF Justin Maxwell on the seven-day DL because of concussion-related symptoms. He sustained a concussion on Tuesday night and passed the concussion tests the next day. He then experienced a slight headache after pinch running in Friday night's game. Houston recalled OF Jimmy Paredes from Oklahoma City. ... Los Angeles OF Mike Trout got a day off for the first time this season. ... Houston's Dallas Keuchel opposes Tampa Bay's Matt Moore when the Astros open a four-game series on Monday.

[Associated Press; By KRISTIE RIEKEN]

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