Angels ride Pujols' 3-run blast by Astros
HOUSTON -- Albert Pujols blasted his 29th career home run at Minute Maid Park, a three-run shot that was the decisive blow for the Los Angeles Angels in their 5-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.
Pujols' second home run of the season came against Astros right-hander Joe Musgrove (1-1) with one out in the fifth inning, plated teammates Yunel Escobar and Mike Trout, and helped snap the Angels' six-game losing skid. Pujols has 54 career home runs against the Astros, his most against any club.
Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons snapped an 0-for-11 skid with his opposite-field, solo homer off Musgrove in the second. That blast snapped a 21-inning scoreless drought for the Angels (7-8).
The Astros (9-5) had their five-game winning streak snapped despite first baseman Yuli Gurriel and center fielder George Springer belting home runs in the third inning. For Gurriel, it marked his first home run of the season. Springer is tied Brewers outfielder Eric Thames for the major league lead with seven homers.
Right-hander Ricky Nolasco (1-2) delivered a solid start for Los Angeles, allowing two runs on eight hits with three strikeouts over six innings. Closer Cam Bedrosian recorded a six-out save by inducing an inning-ending double play after inheriting a runner in the eighth inning before getting Nori Aoki to ground out back to the mound with two runners in scoring position in the ninth inning.
Two close plays prevented Musgrove from preserving his 2-1 lead in the fifth. Angels catcher Martin Maldonado beat out a throw from third baseman Marwin Gonzalez for a leadoff infield single and, with two outs, Trout lined an RBI double just out of the reach of a diving Springer in right-center field.
Instead of facing Pujols with two outs and one runner on, Musgrove surrendered the three-run blast on an 0-1 inside pitch that Pujols parked just inside the left-field foul pole. Musgrove departed at the close of the fifth trailing 5-2 and having allowed five runs on eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
NOTES: The Angels acquired RHP Parker Bridwell from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Bridwell posted a 13.50 ERA over two appearances with the Orioles last season. To make room for Bridwell on the 40-man roster, the Angels transferred RHP Huston Street to the 60-day disabled list. Street was on the 10-day DL with a lat strain but could not maintain his rehab progression due to a mild shoulder impingement, according to published reports. ... Astros SS Carlos Correa missed a second consecutive game with lingering soreness in his left hand. Correa was hit by a pitch last Saturday in Oakland. The club is not considering a disabled list stint for Correa. ... By striking out the side in the sixth inning on Monday night, Astros RHP Chris Devenski reached 20 strikeouts in 10 innings, matching the team record for the fewest innings to reach 20 strikeouts. LHP Billy Wagner set that mark in 1999.