Freese's Big Hit Lifts Angels Over Astros 5-2
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- David Freese hit a two-run double, Matt Shoemaker pitched in and out of trouble for six innings, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 5-2 Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series.
Shoemaker (6-2) allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks, and worked with runners on base in every inning. The right-hander, who began the season in the bullpen, gave up eight runs and 11 hits in four innings on Friday in a loss at Kansas City. He had been 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his seven previous starts this season.
Shoemaker had seven strikeouts against the Astros, giving him 57 through his first 10 big league starts. That broke the franchise record of 56 set by Bo Belinsky in 1962.
Jason Grilli, obtained from Pittsburgh on Friday, pitched a scoreless eighth in his home debut, and Joe Smith worked a hitless ninth for his 10th save.
The Angels have won seven straight at home, their longest streak since another seven-game stretch in August 2006.
Brett Oberholtzer (2-7) gave up five runs, nine hits and three walks over 6 1-3 innings in his third start since getting recalled from Triple-A on June 28. He was 0-6 with a 5.68 ERA in his first seven starts before back-to-back victories over Seattle and Baltimore.
Oberholtzer was bailed out by inning-ending double plays in the second and third innings, after giving up Howie Kendrick's RBI single in the first.
Trout was doubled off second base in the third after rookie left fielder Enrique Hernandez made a diving catch of Albert Pujols' sinking liner, but the Angels scored four runs in the fourth to grab a 5-2 lead.
C.J. Cron tied it with an RBI single, and Freese doubled to right-center, the fourth straight one-out hit. Freese scored on Chris Iannetta's sac fly.
Houston broke through in the third to take a 2-1 lead. Jose Altuve doubled after a leadoff walk to No. 9 hitter Marwin Gonzalez, Jason Castro singled off the glove of first baseman Pujols to drive in the Astros' first run, and Altuve scored on a grounder by Springer. Shoemaker retired Dominguez on a double-play grounder after a walk to Singleton.
NOTES: Angels manager Mike Scioscia earned his 1,281st regular-season victory, tying Whitey Herzog for 34th place on baseball's career list. Scioscia reached the mark in 57 fewer games. ... Altuve, who had three hits, leads the AL in batting (.347) and stolen bases (37). Only four players have finished a season atop the league in both categories. ... Freese has six RBIs in his last five games, two more than he had in the previous 27 games in which he had an a-bat. ... It was the 44th anniversary of the first no-hitter at the "Big A," thrown by Clyde Wright against Oakland. ... The Astros are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the majors' worst record (36-51). ... Houston is 0 for 44 when trailing after eight innings. ... The Astros became the final team this season to draw one million spectators on the road.
