Field Level Media
Apr 24, 2021
Michael Brantley roped three doubles and scored four times, Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman clubbed home runs and Kent Emanuel excelled in his major league debut as the Houston Astros rolled to a 16-2 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
The Astros clinched the four-game series with their third straight win, their first series victory after four consecutive series defeats. Houston jumped on Angels right-hander Griffin Canning (1-2) in the first inning and did not relent when the Angels turned to their bullpen, with right-handers Junior Guerra and Steve Cishek also feeling the brunt of the Astros' onslaught.
Houston scored three runs off Canning in its first at-bat and then chased Canning with another three-spot in the third. Correa opened the scoring in the first inning with his fourth home run, a leadoff shot to left field, and the first four batters reached safely for the Astros.
After the Angels pulled to within 3-2 on solo homers in the second and third, Bregman ignited the rout with his three-run blast in the bottom of the third. He followed a Correa single and the first of three successive doubles from Brantley with his third home run, a 387-foot shot to left-center. Canning departed two batters later when he issued a walk to Yuli Gurriel, having allowed six runs on six hits and two walks over 2 1/3 innings.
The Astros sent nine batters to the plate in scoring four runs in the fourth inning, and then Yordan Alvarez cleared the bases with his first career triple with two outs in the fifth to greet Cishek. Guerra and Cishek combined to allow seven runs on five hits and four walks while recording just seven outs.
Emanuel (1-0), meanwhile, delivered in a pinch. Astros starter Jake Odorizzi tossed just five pitches and recorded only one out before departing with right forearm tightness. Emanuel, a third-round pick in 2013, allowed home runs to Albert Pujols leading off the second inning and Shohei Ohtani with two outs in the third. He retired 10 consecutive batters following the Ohtani homer and induced double plays to breeze through the seventh and eighth innings.
Emanuel induced another double play in the ninth and needed just 90 pitches to record the longest outing by a Houston pitcher this season. He allowed two runs on five hits with five strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. Emanuel threw 45 sinkers and a combined 45 changeups and sliders.
The Angels have dropped 17 of 20 games at Minute Maid Park.
--Field Level Media