Hayden Wesneski recorded his first double-digit strikeout game and Isaac Paredes homered for the third time in as many games as the host Houston Astros claimed the rubber match of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels with a 7-3 victory on Sunday.
Wesneski (1-1) produced a quality start by allowing three runs on five hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts over six innings. The Angels socked three solo homers off Wesneski, who negated those long balls by completing his second consecutive start without issuing a free pass.
The Angels became the first team in the majors to reach 30 home runs this season. Taylor Ward slugged the first of those homers leading off the game. He bashed a 1-1 fastball 393 feet to left field for his fifth homer.
An inning later, the Angels extended their lead to 2-0 when Nolan Schanuel launched a 3-2 cutter 371 feet to right for his second homer. Wesneski settled in following the Schanuel blast, striking out Kyren Paris and Jo Adell to initiate a stretch of 11 consecutive batters retired.
Wesneski fanned two batters in the third and one each in the fourth and fifth. With two outs in the sixth, Jorge Soler drilled a 1-0 fastball 399 feet to left. But by that time, the Astros’ five-run second inning had spotted Wesneski a 5-2 lead. Wesneski threw 93 pitches, 60 for strikes.
Following RBI singles from Cam Smith and Mauricio Dubon, Paredes registered the decisive blow in the bottom of the second. Paredes lined an elevated four-seam fastball from Angels starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) into the left field seats for his third home run of the season and a 5-2 lead.
Hendricks allowed five runs on four hits and three walks with one strikeout over four innings.
Jeremy Pena added a run-scoring fielder’s choice in the sixth inning to plate Christian Walker, who walked twice. Jose Altuve produced a sacrifice fly to right in the seventh that scored Dubon, who walked with one out and swiped second and third base.
The Angels dropped their first series of the season.
–Field Level Media
