Angels 4, Astros 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols stayed hot with two home runs, but the Los Angeles Angels needed some small ball to finally beat the Houston Astros 4-3 Monday night at Angel Stadium.
Left fielder Daniel Robertson's squeeze bunt drove home shortstop Erick Aybar in the eighth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie and lifting the Angels to the win.
Los Angeles moved within 4 1/2 games of first-place Houston in the American League West.
Through seven innings, Pujols was responsible for all of the Angels' offense, hitting a two-run homer in the fifth and a solo homer in the seventh, giving the Angels a 3-1 lead.
The two homers were the first baseman's 22nd and 23rd on the season, tops in the American League. Pujols has 15 homers in his past 24 games, including 12 in the month of June, one away from tying the club record for homers in a month.
Pujols was six outs from hero's status before the Astros rallied against Angels reliever Joe Smith in the eighth. Third baseman Marwin Gonzalez doubled and scored on a single by catcher Jason Castro to make it 3-2.
With two outs, second baseman Jose Altuve, back in the lineup after missing the previous four games with a sore hamstring, hooked a 2-2 pitch into the left field corner for a ground-rule double, tying the game at 3.
The Angels managed to avoid falling behind when closer Huston Street replaced Smith and struck out designated hitter Evan Gattis to end the inning.
The Angels came right back in the bottom of the eighth. Aybar led off with a single, and he went to second on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Efren Navarro failed to get Aybar to third, popping out on a nice over-the-shoulder catch by shortstop Carlos Correa.
Aybar got to third anyway, stealing as pinch hitter Matt Joyce took ball four. That brought up Robertson.
On a 2-1 pitch from reliever Will Harris, Robertson pushed a bunt at first baseman Chris Carter, who appeared to have time to get Aybar at the plate. However, Carter rushed his throw -- a backhanded flip -- and it went past Castro for an error, allowing Aybar to score the go-ahead run.
Street (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the win.
Chad Qualls (1-4) took the loss, as he was charged with one run on one hit in one-third of an inning.
Angels left-hander Hector Santiago retired the first six Astros hitters of the game, but right fielder Domingo Santana launched a home run to right-center leading off the third, giving Houston a 1-0 lead.
That was Houston's lone run off Santiago, who permitted two hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out four
Astros left-hander Brett Oberholtzer gave up two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked four.
Oberholtzer's shutout bid ended in the fifth. After center fielder Mike Trout's two-out walk, Pujols unloaded on a 1-2 pitch, his two-run homer giving Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
Astros center fielder George Springer went 0-for-4, ending his career-best, 14-game hitting streak.
NOTES: Astros 2B Jose Altuve returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous four games and seven of nine because of a sore right hamstring. Altuve batted third in the lineup for the fourth time this season, as manager A.J. Hinch didn't want to disturb CF George Springer and SS Carlos Correa because they performed well lately at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. ... Angels RHP Jered Weaver underwent tests on his left hip that showed no structural damage. Weaver, though, will not throw for five days and then will be re-evaluated. The club hopes Weaver, who is 4-8 with a 4.75 ERA in 15 starts, will return soon after the All-Star break. ... Angels 1B Albert Pujols (23 homers) and CF Mike Trout (18) form the top homer-hitting duo in the majors. ... The Astros lead the American League in homers (104) and stolen bases (56).