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 Center fielder Mike Trout and designated hitter Albert Pujols
smacked back-to-back home runs in the first inning, and the Angels'
bullpen piecemealed its way through a white-knuckle finish for a 4-3
victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Minute Maid
Park.
The Angels (77-74) snapped a six-game losing skid in Houston with
their early power surge and by fending off an onslaught of Astros
pinch hitters in the eighth -- five total were announced.
Street struck out center fielder Jake Marisnick with two runners on
base to close the eighth after uncorking a wild pitch that allowed
third baseman Jed Lowrie to score and cut the deficit to a run.
With two outs in the ninth, Street surrendered a 433-foot double to
straightaway center field to Astros shortstop Carlos Correa, but
that blast stayed in the park. Following an intentional walk to
Lowrie, Street struck out designated hitter Evan Gattis for his 39th
save on the year.
"It's just one of those great baseball games where you have both
managers making a lot of moves," Street said. "For me, it's just
executing pitches. I really only missed with two pitches.
Thankfully, they haven't moved center field. That ball was hit a
ways, but it's just a double.
"I did want Lowrie, I really did. That's what this game's about.
It's about those battles. Sometimes you lose those battles, but you
want that chance to come back. At the same time, I totally agreed
with the call (to walk him)."
Relievers Fernando Salas, Trevor Gott and Jose Alvarez preceded
Street and helped the Angels close within 2 1/2 games of the Astros
(80-72) in the chase for the second American League wild card. The
Twins defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-1 at Minnesota and moved to
within two games of Houston.
The Astros stranded 11 baserunners, six in scoring position, and
finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
The Angels pounced on Astros rookie right-hander Lance McCullers
(5-7) in the first inning. Shortstop Erick Aybar reached on a bunt
single to set the table for Trout, who launched a first-pitch
fastball 401 feet to left-center for his 40th home run and a 2-0
lead three batters into the game.
"It's obviously special to reach 40," said Trout, who joined Troy
Glaus (47 in 2000 and 41 in 2001) as the only players in club
history to record 40 home runs in a single season. "Coming into this
season, thinking it would be pretty special and pretty cool, and it
happened."
One batter later, Pujols added his 36th homer of the year, a
387-foot blast to left field that bumped the lead to 3-0. McCullers
rebounded and completed seven innings allowing just those three
runs, posting nine strikeouts against no walks while throwing a
career-high 111 pitches.
"Those are two really good hitters that hit those balls out,"
McCullers said. "I kind of ran back over the middle a little bit. I
felt fine going into the first. I felt great the last six. Just one
of those things."
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Angels left-hander Hector Santiago (9-9) retired the Astros in order
on just seven pitches in the first but surrendered back-to-back home
runs to left fielder Marwin Gonzalez, his 11th, and first baseman
Chris Carter, his 20th, after recording two quick outs in the bottom
of the second.
With that, the Astros cut the deficit to one run but failed
repeatedly to break through against Santiago or the four relievers
who followed him.
Santiago allowed two runs on four hits and five walks in five-plus
innings. He struck out four.
Right fielder Kole Calhoun extended the Angels' lead to 4-2 with an
RBI single in the top of the eighth before the Astros got a run back
in the bottom of the inning.
"I have no complaints about our team," Astros manager A.J. Hinch
said. "We put pressure on them from the fifth inning on. We left a
lot of guys on base, but we fought our tails off to be in the
position to get a big hit and someone go home a hero. I will take
that competitive effort and get to tomorrow and try to win the
series."
NOTES: Angels 2B Johnny Giavotella faced live pitching Tuesday, and
he might return before the regular season concludes. Giavotella was
placed on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 24 with an illness later
diagnosed as fourth cranial nerve palsy, a condition that caused him
to experience double vision whenever he looked left. ... Astros LF
Marwin Gonzalez returned to the lineup for the first time since
Sept. 16 after missing seven of eight games with left hand/wrist
soreness. Gonzalez, a switch hitter, is limited to batting
right-handed and playing the outfield to avoid aggravating the
injury by potentially diving for grounders in the infield. ...
Angels RHP Matt Shoemaker will not pitch during the weekend series
against the Seattle Mariners but should start next week against the
Oakland A's. He experienced moderate soreness after his previous
start against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, his first appearance in
19 days after dealing with a strained right forearm.
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