Fister, high-powered offense fuel Astros past Angels

[June 21, 2016]  HOUSTON -- Doug Fister extended his winning streak to seven games and the Houston Astros provided him ample run support in their 10-7 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.

Five starters recorded multi-hit games and every member of the lineup reached base at least once, with catcher Jason Castro joining the hit parade with his sixth home run to lead off the seventh inning.

Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa also went deep in support of Fister (8-3) as the Astros (35-36) won for the 10th consecutive time in a game Fister started. Carlos Gomez and Colby Rasmus recorded three hits apiece to pace an offense in which seven different starters scored at least once.

The Angels (31-39) had won four of five but fell to 7-11 this month.

Second baseman Gregorio Petit belted his first career grand slam - and the first for the Angels this season - off Astros left-hander Tony Sipp with one out in the ninth. Pat Neshek got the final two outs for his first save.

The Astros were quick to pounce on Angels right-hander Jhoulys Chacin with three runs in the first inning as Rasmus and Gomez delivered run-scoring singles after Correa produced an RBI groundout.

Houston pulled the same trick in the third, with Gomez, Luis Valbuena and Evan Gattis recorded run-scoring hits in succession to double the lead to 6-0 and chase Chacin.

For Chacin, the damage was severe. He surrendered six runs (five earned) on six hits and five walks in just two innings. Thirty seven of Chacin's 72 pitches were strikes, a total reflecting his inability to command pitches.

Fister worked around a two-out Correa fielding error in the first inning and set the Angels down in order in the second and fourth. He stranded Yunel Escobar at third base in the third and induced an inning-ending double play from Petit in the fifth. It wasn't until the sixth inning that the Angels broke through with two outs while trailing 7-0.

Even then the Angels required some aid, with Gomez taking a poor route on Albert Pujols' fly ball to center field, playing an apparent out into an RBI double. C.J. Cron followed with a blast to left-center field to score Pujols and pull the Angels to within five. But when Fister returned to the hill in the seventh, he set the Angels down in order to cap his strong outing.

Astros starting pitcher Doug Fister (58) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Fister allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts. He recorded his club-leading 11th quality start of 2016.

NOTES: Astros UTL Marwin Gonzalez made his 25th start at first base, second on the team to rookie Tyler White (40 starts), who was recently demoted to Triple A Fresno. Gonzalez is becoming a fixture at first base despite his extensive experience as a middle infielder. ... Angels RHP Joe Smith is scheduled to throw a bullpen session while the club is in Houston, the next step in his rehab after playing catch three days in a row and throwing off a mound on Sunday. Smith was placed on the 15-day disabled list on June 7 (retroactive to June 5) with a left hamstring strain. Smith is one of nine Angels currently on the disabled list. ... The Astros announced the signing of five players from the 2016 first-year player draft, including Seminole State IF Abraham Toro-Hernandez (fifth round, 157th overall). Of the Astros' top 10 selections, only Alamo Heights RHP Forrest Whitley (first round, 17th overall) and Oklahoma State RHP Tyler Buffett (seventh round, 217th overall) remain unsigned.

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