Astros put stop to Angels’ road run
Justin Verlander pitched seven sharp innings, AL MVP Jose Altuve hit his first home run of the season and the Astros beat the Angels, 5-2, yesterday in Houston, ending Los Angeles’ road winning streak at a team record-tying 11 in a row.
Albert Pujols connected off Verlander for his 619th career homer. Pujols now has 2,994 hits.
Alex Bregman hit a threerun double and Jake Marisnick homered as Houston avoided a three-game sweep. The Angels had also won 11 straight road games in 1988.
Verlander (4-0) held the Angels hitless into the fifth inning before Zack Cozart singled with two outs. Verlander gave up two runs and four hits, striking out nine without a walk.
Yankees 7, Twins 4 — Didi Gregorius homered for the fourth straight game and added two RBI to his major league-leading total, sending host New York past Minnesota in a hazy fog for its fifth consecutive victory.
Rays 8, Orioles 4 — Joey Wendle had three hits and two RBI, Adeiny Hechavarria homered and Tampa Bay beat former teammate Alex Cobb and host Baltimore.
The game marked the return of left-hander Jonny Venters following a sixyear absence and four major elbow operations, including three Tommy John surgeries. The 33-year-old Venters used four pitches to retire Chris Davis, the only batter he faced, on a grounder in the sixth.
Mariners 4, White Sox 3 — Mike Zunino homered and scored twice to back Felix Hernandez in visiting Seattle’s victory over Chicago.
Chicago’s Yoan Moncada hit his first career leadoff homer. At 5-16, the White Sox are off to their worst start since 1950.
National League
Rockies 5, Padres 2 — Jon Gray struck out 11 in six dominant innings and David Dahl lined a two-run triple, lifting Colorado to a win over San Diego in Denver.
Gray (2-4) had pinpoint control in scattering three hits and walking one to break his three-game slide. The right-hander had at least one strikeout in every inning before being lifted for a pinch-hitter after throwing 101 pitches.
Phillies 5, Diamondbacks 3 — Aaron Altherr hit a go-ahead three-run homer, Jake Arrieta (3-0) outpitched Zack Greinke (2-2) and host Philadelphia beat Arizona.
Arrieta (3-0) allowed three runs — one earned — and four hits in seven innings.
Nationals 15, Giants 2 — Trea Turner got five hits, Matt Adams homered and drove in six runs, and visiting Washington broke out of an offensive funk in a big way, routing San Francisco to end a four-game losing streak.
Max Scherzer (5-1) struck out 10 in six innings.
Braves 5, Reds 4 — Prized prospect Ronald Acuna Jr. singled and scored the tying run in the eighth inning of his big league debut, and visiting Atlanta went on to beat Cincinnati.
The 20-year-old Acuna became the youngest player in the majors when he was called up from Triple A before the game. He went 1-for-5 and played left field.
Interleague
Tigers 13, Pirates 10 — Nicholas Castellanos stayed hot with four hits and a key home run and visiting Detroit used 20 hits to outslug Pittsburgh in the opener of a doubleheader.
Indians 4, Cubs 1 — Francisco Lindor and Edwin Encarnacion hit sixth-inning home runs and host Cleveland beat Chicago despite losing relief ace Andrew Miller to a left hamstring injury.