Skaggs shuts down Astros as Angels win
HOUSTON: Yuli Gurriel was thrown out at third base by catcher Martin Maldonado to end the game after an original safe call was reversed on replay, giving the Los Angeles Angels a 2-0 win over Houston on Monday night that ended the Astros’ six-game winning streak.
Third base umpire Cory Blaser signalled safe. Blaser also called Colorado’s Nolan Arenado safe at home plate on Sunday trying to advance on a ball in the dirt. That call was then reversed on replay for the final out in the Chicago Cubs’ 9-7 win.
Tyler Skaggs (3-1) allowed four hits in seven innings for the Angels, and Keynan Middleton earned his sixth save. The Astros outscored the White Sox 27-2 during a three-game sweep last weekend.
Kole Calhoun had an RBI single and Justin Upton added an RBI double. Los Angeles had lost five of six following a seven-game winning streak. The Angels are 10-1 on the road, but 5-7 at home.
Gerrit Cole (2-1) retired his first 13 hitters, striking out five. He gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings.
In New York, streaking rookie Miguel Andujar homered and doubled to extend his barrage of extra-base hits, Didi Gregorius had a grand slam and New York hammered Minnesota 14-1 for their first threegame winning streak under new manager Aaron Boone.
Slumping slugger Giancarlo Stanton homered in going 4 for 4 and Gleyber Torres singled for his first major league hit, a day after the prized 21-year-old made his debut with the Yankees. Gary Sanchez socked a two-run double.
The teams had not met since New York topped the Twins 8-4 in the AL wild-card game last October at Yankee Stadium. This was no contest as Minnesota lost their fourth in a row and brought in centre fielder Ryan LaMarre to pitch in the eighth inning — Tyler Austin tagged him for a tworun homer.
Andujar delivered an extra-base hit in his seventh straight game — tied with Pittsburgh’s Corey Dickerson for the longest streak in the majors this year. Andujar is 15 for 29 (.517) during that span with eight doubles, a triple and three home runs, raising his season average from .107 to .316.
Masahiro Tanaka (3-2) gave up three hits in 6 2/3 innings.