The Sports Xchange
Jun 9, 2017
HOUSTON -- Cameron Maybin produced a career game while Matt Shoemaker parlayed early run support into a midgame groove as the Los Angeles Angels claimed a 9-4 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
Maybin finished 3-for-4 with a walk, four runs scored and a career-high four steals. He was the catalyst for an offense that featured two-hit games from Kole Calhoun, Yunel Escobar, Andrelton Simmons and Martin Maldonado. Calhoun added three RBIs and one of six walks for the Angels (32-32), four against Astros right-hander Brad Peacock (3-1).
Shoemaker (6-3) has won five of six starts. After surrendering a pair of runs in the second inning and a leadoff double to Josh Reddick in the third, Shoemaker recorded 13 consecutive outs as the Angels built their lead to six runs.
Marwin Gonzalez ended that stretch of dominance with a single one batter before Alex Bregman cranked his seventh home run this season with one out in the seventh.
The Astros (43-19) had their streak of games with at least five runs scored snapped at 12.
Peacock labored from the start, issuing three consecutive one-out walks after Maybin opened the game with an infield single. Maybin scored when Luis Valbuena drew a bases-loaded walk, the lone run in the first inning despite Peacock tossing 29 pitches.
It was more of the same for Peacock in the second and third innings. He surrendered a two-run single to Calhoun in the second that scored Danny Espinosa and Maybin. After Escobar stroked a leadoff double in the third, Valbuena brought him home with a single to right field one batter later.
After the Houston bullpen struggled with a heavy workload during the recently-completed 10-game road trip, Peacock provided only three innings in his start, allowing four runs, seven hits and four walks while throwing 76 pitches.
Shoemaker wobbled in the second inning but quickly found his footing.
NOTES: Astros RHP Charlie Morton played catch for the first time since landing on the 10-day disabled list with a right lat strain on May 25. Morton tossed between 80-90 feet, the start of a long road to recovery. ... Angels OF Cameron Maybin returned from the 10-day disabled list and was a late addition to the starting lineup, batting leadoff. Maybin missed nine games with a left oblique contusion. ... Astros RHP Joe Musgrove remains on schedule to return from the 10-day disabled list on Monday and start against the Texas Rangers. Musgrove was placed on the DL on May 27 with right shoulder discomfort.