Jered Weaver, Angels Bring Astros Back Down To Earth, 2-0
ANAHEIM (AP) — Jered Weaver pitched a six-hitter for his first victory of the season, and Carlos Perez had an RBI single in the Los Angeles Angels' 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
C.J. Cron also drove in a run during a two-run fifth inning for the Angels, who have won three of four.
Weaver (1-4) didn't allow a runner to reach second base during an outstanding performance in the seventh start of his difficult season. Weaver didn't walk a batter and retired 19 of his last 21, receiving a standing ovation after completing his first shutout since 2012.
Roberto Hernandez (1-3) yielded only six hits while pitching into the eighth inning for the Astros, who have lost four of five.
Mike Trout went 0 for 3 with a stolen base, and Albert Pujols extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a sixth-inning single.
The start was important progress for Weaver, who pitched the first month of the season with an alarming lack of velocity to go with his 0-4 record. The Angels' longtime ace was struggling to get his fastball into the mid-80s despite no significant arm problems.
Weaver's fastball hit 89 mph in the second inning against the Astros, and he mixed in his usual sharp breaking pitches to flummox the Astros after allowing five singles in the first three innings. Houston didn't get another hit until Jose Altuve's third single in the eighth.
Weaver finished in style, retiring the heart of Houston's order in the ninth.
Hernandez only faced trouble in the fifth, when he yielded four singles and Cron's sacrifice fly.
Perez delivered with an RBI single against the Astros, who traded him to Los Angeles during the offseason in a deal for Hank Conger. The rookie catcher hit a game-ending homer Tuesday in an incredible major league debut.
The second-place Angels have an opportunity in the four-game series to make up ground on the AL West-leading Astros, who streaked out to an outstanding April. Los Angeles had a two-run lead in the ninth inning of the series opener Thursday, but closer Huston Street gave up three runs and lost.
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