Field Level Media
Jul 16, 2019
The Los Angeles Angels did not have Mike Trout, but they still had enough offense to win their fourth game in a row, 9-6 over the Houston Astros on Monday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Albert Pujols had a double, two singles, three RBIs and two runs to lead Los Angeles' 10-hit attack. David Fletcher had two doubles, Kevan Smith had a double and three RBIs, and Justin Upton scored three runs and had two hits.
George Springer produced a big night in a losing effort for Houston, getting three hits, including two home runs. Andrelton Simmons homered for the Angels.
With Trout out of the lineup (day-to-day) because of a strained calf muscle, the game did not start well for Los Angeles.
Starting pitcher Griffin Canning retired the first two Astros batters of the game, then went wild. Canning walked the next four hitters, Houston taking a 1-0 lead when Josh Reddick drew a base on balls to force home a run.
Canning walked two more in the second inning and was removed after giving up two more runs. He lasted just 1 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season, and walked six while also throwing four wild pitches.
It marked the first time in major league history a pitcher has walked as many as six and thrown as many as four wild pitches while recording four outs or fewer.
The Angels, though, rallied against Framber Valdez (3-6) after opener Josh James threw a scoreless first inning. Simmons homered in the third to make it 3-1, and Los Angeles tied the game at 3-3 in the fourth on an RBI double by Pujols and a sacrifice fly by Smith.
The Angels took the lead with a four-run fifth inning, the key hit being Pujols' two-run single. The Angels had only two hits in the inning, but they benefitted from three walks and a Houston error.
The Astros got close on Springer's two-run homer in the sixth, his first of the game, cutting Los Angeles' lead to 7-5, but the Angels responded with a two runs in the seventh. Smith's double brought in one run, and another scored on the same play on an error.
Springer's second homer of the game, and 20th of the season, made it 9-6 in the eighth, but the Astros could get no closer.
Angels reliever Justin Anderson (3-0) got the win despite allowing two runs in just one inning. Hansel Robles pitched a scoreless ninth for his 14th save.
--Field Level Media