Field Level Media
Aug 24, 2019
Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a home run while Alex Bregman set a new single-season standard for homers as the Houston Astros clinched this three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels with a 5-2 victory Saturday at Minute Maid Park.
Brantley socked his 19th home run with one out in the first inning, following a triple from Jose Altuve with a 363-foot drive to right field off Angels left-hander Dillon Peters (3-2). Brantley bumped his RBI total to 17 during his streak and has recorded 14 extra-base hits in that span.
Bregman drove home Altuve and Brantley with no outs in the third with his line drive into the Crawford Boxes in left field. For Bregman, it was his 32nd home run this season, eclipsing the 31 dingers he registered during his breakout 2018 campaign. Bregman upped the lead to 5-0 against Peters, who surrendered six hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Granted a comfortable advantage to work with, Astros left-hander Wade Miley (13-4) carried a shutout into the fifth inning and posted two quick outs in that frame before Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo belted a 3-2 fastball 425 feet to the train tracks above left-center field. Miley suddenly had to labor to complete that inning, loading the bases before retiring MVP frontrunner Mike Trout on a deep fly ball to center field.
Miley did not return for the sixth and allowed one run on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts. He has won each of his last seven decisions, setting a new individual standard.
Five Houston relievers covered the final four innings, with right-hander Will Harris working the ninth and recording his first save on the season. Trout snapped an 0-for-7 start to the series with his run-scoring single off Astros right-hander Joe Smith in the seventh inning but lifted a lazy fly ball to George Springer in center for the second out of the ninth. The Angels stranded 10 baserunners.
Bregman and Altuve recorded two hits apiece for the Astros, who improved to 8-3 against the Angels this season.
--Field Level Media