Houston 7 at LA Angels 1 - Recap

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Carlos Correa drove in four runs and recorded a home run and double among three hits, Jose Altuve had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and the Houston Astros rolled to a 7-1 victory over the reeling Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday.

The win for the Astros was their ninth in 10 games, but they remain 10 games behind the equally hot Texas Rangers in the American League West. The Angels, meanwhile, continue to slip into oblivion. The loss was their eighth in nine games as they fell 14 games below .500 (32-46) and 19 games out of first, both season-worsts.

Astros right-hander Scott Feldman had not started a game since April, making a spot start Tuesday in place of Lance McCullers (blister on index finger). Feldman (5-3) was up to the task, allowing only an unearned run and three hits in five innings.

Angels starter Tim Lincecum made his third start for the club after signing a deal May 20. He won his first start with six solid innings against Oakland on June 18, but has lost two in a row and failed to get through five innings in both.

Tuesday, he struggled to find the strike zone early, and when he did, it was over the middle of the plate. Lincecum walked two batters in the first inning before giving up a three-run homer to Correa. Lincecum (1-2) managed to strike out seven in 4 1/3 innings, but also allowed five runs, seven hits and four walks.

The Astros' only real flaw in the game was third baseman Luis Valbuena's error in the third inning. Instead of getting the third out, Feldman had to face Albert Pujols, who delivered an RBI single.

It was a rough night for Valbuena, who also went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts.

Lincecum struggled immediately, walking George Springer on four pitches to start the game. He struck out Valbuena, but walked Altuve on four pitches and fell behind in the count 2-0 to Correa.

Lincecum's next pitch was over the plate, and Correa belted it for a three-run homer. Lincecum, though, wound up striking out the side in the first inning, finishing with strikeouts of Colby Rasmus and Marwin Gonzalez.

The Astros kept the pressure on Lincecum. A triple by Gonzalez and an RBI double by Carlos Gomez made it 4-1 in the fourth. In the fifth, Gonzalez's squeeze bunt scored Correa to put Houston on top 5-1.

Lincecum didn't make it out of the inning, replaced with one out and failing to go five innings for the second start in a row.

NOTES: Despite the Angels last-place standing in the American League West, GM Billy Eppler said the team isn't looking to be "sellers" as the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline approaches. "With the position of this organization and the financial strengths of this organization, it's not in the DNA here to rebuild," Eppler said. Eppler also said manager Mike Scioscia's job is not in jeopardy. Scioscia, who took the job in 2000, is signed through 2018. ... Astros 1B A.J. Reed was not in the starting lineup, replaced by INF Marwin Gonzalez. "We'll give him a day to work in the cage and clear his mind a little bit," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of Reed, who is 0-for-10 with six strikeouts since making his major league debut Saturday. ... Angels CF Mike Trout went 1-for-3, failing to record multiple hits for the first time in six games. ... Astros RHP Lance McCullers, who was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday because of a blister on his right index finger, will make his next start Monday against Seattle.