Yordan Alvarez homered and singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning to lead the Houston Astros to a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Christian Walker homered and had two hits and Jose Altuve also had two hits for Houston, which won for the seventh time in its last eight games.
Steven Okert (4-1) picked up the win with a hitless inning of relief. Josh Hader needed just four pitches to toss a 1-2-3 ninth and pick up his 14th save while lowering his ERA to 1.23.
Jorge Soler went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI and Vaughn Grissom also had two hits and an RBI for Los Angeles, which lost for the fifth time in six games. Mitch Farris (0-2) took the loss, allowing one run on three hits in one inning while striking out two.
The contest was tied at 2 entering the top of the ninth when pinch hitter Nick Allen hit a double into the left field corner. One out later, Christian Vazquez blooped a single down the right field line to send Allen to third. Farris then struck out Jeremy Pena before Alvarez lined a single to center to drive in Allen.
Houston jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Alvarez’s major league leading 35th home run, a 427-foot blast deep into the bleachers in right.
Los Angeles tied it in the third inning when Zach Neto led off with a single, stole second, tagged and went to third on a flyout by Nolan Schanuel and scored on a single by Grissom.
The Astros regained the lead in the fourth inning on Walker’s 21st home run, a 411-foot drive to left.
The Angels tied it once more in the fifth inning when Trout singled and scored on a two-out double into the left field corner by Soler.
Los Angeles starter Reid Detmers, the object of trade rumors with Monday’s deadline looming, gave up two runs on four hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out nine while throwing 84 pitches.
Astros starter Peter Lambert gave up two runs on seven hits over five innings, walking one and striking out six.
–Field Level Media
