Angels rally to finish 4-game sweep of Astros
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Anthony Rendon homered, Jared Walsh and Justin Upton delivered key hits during a four-run eighth inning and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Houston Astros, 9-5, on Sunday to sweep the series.
The Angels have a won a season-high five straight and posted their first fourgame sweep since 2017.
Rendon homered for the second straight game in the third inning when he lined a changeup from Framber Valdez’s (3-3) over the wall in left-center to tie it at 3. The third baseman — who delivered key long balls for the Washington Nationals in last year’s World Series against the Astros — had a three-run drive to give the Angels a doubleheader sweep Saturday.
The Angels took control of the game in the eighth when their first five batters reached base. Walsh supplied the go-ahead hit when he lined a single to drive in Jo Adell. Luis Rengifo drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 7-5 and Upton delivered a one-out, two-run single off Chris Devenski.
Mike Mayers (1-0), the fifth of six Angels’ pitchers used, got the win by retiring the side in order in the eighth.
Kyle Tucker, Aledmys Díaz and Carlos Correa homered for Houston, who have dropped four straight after winning 15 of 21.
The Astros jumped out to a 3-0 lead with three hits and three runs by their first six batters. Tucker put Houston on the board in the first with a two-out homer to right field and Diaz’s solo shot to left to lead off the second.
Houston trailed 5-3 before it scored twice in the seventh to tie. Correa led off the inning by going to deep to left center and Abraham Toro’s RBI double evened it.
For starters
Astros manager Dusty Baker needed a strong outing from Ramirez because his bullpen was spent.
He got it as the left-hander went seven-plus innings before tiring. Ramirez gave up 11 hits and eight runs with two walks and two strikeouts.
Barria allowed three hits and three runs to the first six batters before settling down. The right-hander retired 12 of the final 13 batters he faced with the lone runner getting aboard on a walk to start the fourth. Barria struck out six and walked two.
Another scorcher
It was 106 degrees at first pitch, marking the second straight day the team’s played in triple-digit heat. It was 109 degrees for Saturday’s first game, making it the hottest start to a game in Angel Stadium history.
It is the eighth game to start with triple-digit temperatures since the ballpark opened in 1966. Five have happened the first week of September.