Astros keep rolling vs. Angels
HOUSTON -- Lance McCullers carried a shutout into the ninth inning in the Houston Astros' 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
McCullers (5-4) allowed four hits and four walks while striking out a season-high-tying 10 batters. After escaping trouble in the fifth inning with a double play, McCullers retired nine consecutive batters, including striking out the side in the eighth, before issuing a pair of walks to open the ninth.
Astros closer Will Harris allowed an RBI single to Andrelton Simmons that scored Kole Calhoun yet preserved the victory with a strikeout of Ji-Man Choi. Harris recorded his 10th save on the season.
The Astros (52-44) didn't provide McCullers much of a cushion to work with. After taking a 1-0 lead in the fifth Houston scratched across a second run off right-hander Matt Shoemaker (5-10) in the seventh.
Astros center fielder Carlos Gomez reached on a bunt single, swiped second base and advanced to third on a groundout to the right side of the infield. Gomez initially scored on a balk but that call was reversed following an umpire meeting. One batter later, Gomez scored anyway.
Right fielder George Springer, 0-for-3 against Shoemaker, greeted reliever Joe Smith with a sharp RBI single to left field. Houston extended its winning streak over the Angels (43-53) to nine games while snapping Los Angeles' six-game winning streak.
What McCullers sought beyond the obvious victory was efficiency, something that had eluded him even in his more promising outings. And from the onset, McCullers appeared in line to grind out his appearance.
He pitched around a pair of hits in the first inning and a leadoff single by Andrelton Simmons in the second. McCullers wisely relied upon his defense early, retiring Simmons on an inning-ending double play off the bat of Jett Bandy before inducing another inning-ending double play in the fifth, with Yunel Escobar delivering the ground ball that allowed McCullers to escape a one-out jam with two runners aboard.
The fourth inning was the first frame in which McCullers retired all three batters he faced. Following his scare in the fifth, McCullers did so again in the sixth by tearing through the heart of the Angels order -- Kole Calhoun, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols -- after being presented a lead.
Shoemaker matched zeroes with McCullers until the fifth, when he allowed a one-out triple to Preston Tucker that Trout failed to run down in center field. Jason Castro followed with a single to right for a 1-0 lead.
NOTES: Astros DH Preston Tucker was recalled from Triple A Fresno, where he hit .301 with 14 doubles, eight home runs and 29 RBIs in 53 games after being optioned May 15. Tucker began the season with the Astros and hit .176 with three homers and five RBIs in 33 games. ... Angels LHP Tyler Skaggs pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday and is nearing a return to the active roster. Skaggs is scheduled to throw bullpen sessions this weekend after which time a decision will be made regarding his next start. Skaggs last pitched for the Angels on July 31, 2014, before undergoing Tommy John surgery. ... Astros 1B/DH A.J. Reed was optioned to Triple-A Fresno after batting .156 with two homers and four RBIs in 17 games following his major league debut June 25.