ANAHEIM,
Calif. -- The Angels have a lonely island of power in the middle of
their lineup, but opposing teams just can't seem to navigate around it.
Mike Trout and Albert Pujols have combined to hit half of the Angels' home runs this season and the two were at it yet again Friday night, sparking a big inning by driving in a combined five runs in Los Angeles' 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros.
Trout had a three-run double and Pujols a two-run homer in the Angels' six-run third inning, their biggest of the season.
"That's a tough knockout punch," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "It just looked like things unraveled."
Getting a second consecutive strong start from right-hander Matt Shoemaker, the Angels rode their third-inning offensive outburst to a ninth victory in their last 14 games.
"I think there's more to this club," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We've seen some glimpses the last couple of weeks offensively. But we need every night to get on base and make things happen."
The home run was the 570th of Pujols' career, moving him past Rafael Palmeiro and alone into 12th on baseball's all-time list. Pujols, 36, is now three behind Harmon Killebrew for 11th.
Shoemaker (3-5) had an 8.49 ERA in his first seven starts this season, but has now put together consecutive dominating efforts. After striking out a career-high 12 in 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his last start against Baltimore, he frustrated the Astros until the ninth inning.
Shoemaker struck out 11 without walking a batter, holding the Astros to seven hits, all singles. He left after allowing two hits with one out in the ninth. Cam Bedrosian gave up a two-run single to Colin Moran.
It more closely resembled the Shoemaker the Angels remember from 2014, when he went 16-4 with a 3.04 ERA and not the one who had gone 9-14 with a 4.96 ERA the past two seasons.
"We always felt that at some point he was going to get back to where he was," Scioscia said. "None of us feel that a couple of years ago was a fluke.
"We're not at all surprised at these last two games he's pitched. We were probably surprised about the inconsistency in some of the games last year and early this year."
Matt Fiers (3-3) started for the Astros and retired the Angels in order the first two innings before coming undone in the third. The Angels had seven hits in the inning, but only two other hits the rest of the night.
"The first two innings, he was pretty sharp," Hinch said. "And then things fell apart in the third."
Fiers left with two outs in the fourth, charged with all seven runs. Right-hander Chris Deveniski held the Angels scoreless over the final 4 1/3 innings.
Rafael Ortega got the big third inning started with a double. Carlos Perez singled and Gregorio Petit walked to load the bases. After an RBI single by Kole Calhoun, Trout doubled to clear the bases. Pujols then followed with his 10th homer of the season to match Trout for the team lead. No other player on the Angels has more than three homers.
The rest was left to Shoemaker, who's now struck out 23 in his last two starts. He said his turnaround was more a series of small adjustments than any one thing.
"Good focus, executing pitches, putting hitters away when you're ahead," he said. "We want to get on a roll and get it going. We know what kind of team we have and what we're capable of."
TRAINERS ROOM
Astros: Gomez (bruised rib cage) is expected to play in all three games this weekend in his rehab assignment for Double-A Corpus Christi. Gomez, batting just .182 with no home runs and 46 strikeouts in 121 at-bats, is expected to be ready when eligible to come off the disabled list June 1.
Angels: RHP Tim Lincecum is scheduled to start in an extended spring game in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday before heading to Triple-A Salt Lake City. The Angels signed the two-time Cy Young winner on May 20 and hope he can join their rotation by mid-June. He had hip surgery in September.
UP NEXT
Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (2-6) will again attempt to turn his season around Saturday against the Angels. The reigning AL Cy Young winner has a 5.92 ERA and allowed seven runs in six innings in his last start against the Rangers.
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver (4-3) will try to continue his reinvention as a craftsman Saturday against the Astros. Weaver no longer throws as hard as he did early in his career, but is using his off-speed stuff for solid results. He will oppose a Houston team he is 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA against in nine career starts.
Mike Trout and Albert Pujols have combined to hit half of the Angels' home runs this season and the two were at it yet again Friday night, sparking a big inning by driving in a combined five runs in Los Angeles' 7-2 victory over the Houston Astros.
Trout had a three-run double and Pujols a two-run homer in the Angels' six-run third inning, their biggest of the season.
"That's a tough knockout punch," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "It just looked like things unraveled."
Getting a second consecutive strong start from right-hander Matt Shoemaker, the Angels rode their third-inning offensive outburst to a ninth victory in their last 14 games.
"I think there's more to this club," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We've seen some glimpses the last couple of weeks offensively. But we need every night to get on base and make things happen."
The home run was the 570th of Pujols' career, moving him past Rafael Palmeiro and alone into 12th on baseball's all-time list. Pujols, 36, is now three behind Harmon Killebrew for 11th.
Shoemaker (3-5) had an 8.49 ERA in his first seven starts this season, but has now put together consecutive dominating efforts. After striking out a career-high 12 in 7 1/3 scoreless innings in his last start against Baltimore, he frustrated the Astros until the ninth inning.
Shoemaker struck out 11 without walking a batter, holding the Astros to seven hits, all singles. He left after allowing two hits with one out in the ninth. Cam Bedrosian gave up a two-run single to Colin Moran.
It more closely resembled the Shoemaker the Angels remember from 2014, when he went 16-4 with a 3.04 ERA and not the one who had gone 9-14 with a 4.96 ERA the past two seasons.
"We always felt that at some point he was going to get back to where he was," Scioscia said. "None of us feel that a couple of years ago was a fluke.
"We're not at all surprised at these last two games he's pitched. We were probably surprised about the inconsistency in some of the games last year and early this year."
Matt Fiers (3-3) started for the Astros and retired the Angels in order the first two innings before coming undone in the third. The Angels had seven hits in the inning, but only two other hits the rest of the night.
"The first two innings, he was pretty sharp," Hinch said. "And then things fell apart in the third."
Fiers left with two outs in the fourth, charged with all seven runs. Right-hander Chris Deveniski held the Angels scoreless over the final 4 1/3 innings.
Rafael Ortega got the big third inning started with a double. Carlos Perez singled and Gregorio Petit walked to load the bases. After an RBI single by Kole Calhoun, Trout doubled to clear the bases. Pujols then followed with his 10th homer of the season to match Trout for the team lead. No other player on the Angels has more than three homers.
The rest was left to Shoemaker, who's now struck out 23 in his last two starts. He said his turnaround was more a series of small adjustments than any one thing.
"Good focus, executing pitches, putting hitters away when you're ahead," he said. "We want to get on a roll and get it going. We know what kind of team we have and what we're capable of."
TRAINERS ROOM
Astros: Gomez (bruised rib cage) is expected to play in all three games this weekend in his rehab assignment for Double-A Corpus Christi. Gomez, batting just .182 with no home runs and 46 strikeouts in 121 at-bats, is expected to be ready when eligible to come off the disabled list June 1.
Angels: RHP Tim Lincecum is scheduled to start in an extended spring game in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday before heading to Triple-A Salt Lake City. The Angels signed the two-time Cy Young winner on May 20 and hope he can join their rotation by mid-June. He had hip surgery in September.
UP NEXT
Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (2-6) will again attempt to turn his season around Saturday against the Angels. The reigning AL Cy Young winner has a 5.92 ERA and allowed seven runs in six innings in his last start against the Rangers.
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver (4-3) will try to continue his reinvention as a craftsman Saturday against the Astros. Weaver no longer throws as hard as he did early in his career, but is using his off-speed stuff for solid results. He will oppose a Houston team he is 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA against in nine career starts.
10:05PM,EDT,May 27,2016
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Houston - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Springer grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Altuve grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Correa singled to shallow right. | 0 | 0 |
| Correa picked off first. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Mike Fiers pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Escobar flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Calhoun grounded out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Trout grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Rasmus struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Gattis struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Valbuena struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Mike Fiers pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Pujols grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Cron flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Giavotella popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Moran lined out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Castro struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Marisnick struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Mike Fiers pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Ortega doubled to deep right. | 0 | 0 |
| Pérez singled to shallow right center, Ortega to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Petit walked, Pérez to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Escobar fouled out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Calhoun singled to left, Ortega scored, Pérez to third, Petit to second. | 0 | 1 |
| Trout doubled to deep center, Pérez, Petit and Calhoun scored. | 0 | 4 |
| Pujols homered to left center (408 feet), Trout scored. | 0 | 6 |
| Cron grounded out to third. | 0 | 6 |
| Giavotella doubled to left. | 0 | 6 |
| Ortega grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 6 |
| 6 Runs, 6 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Springer struck out swinging. | 0 | 6 |
| Altuve singled to left center. | 0 | 6 |
| Correa popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 6 |
| Rasmus singled to right, Altuve to third. | 0 | 6 |
| Gattis struck out swinging. | 0 | 6 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Mike Fiers pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Pérez popped out to second. | 0 | 6 |
| Petit doubled to deep center. | 0 | 6 |
| Escobar singled to left center, Petit scored. | 0 | 7 |
| Escobar to second on wild pitch by Fiers. | 0 | 7 |
| Calhoun struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| Trout walked. | 0 | 7 |
| Devenski relieved Fiers. | 0 | 7 |
| Pujols flied out to left. | 0 | 7 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Valbuena fouled out to third. | 0 | 7 |
| Moran singled to center. | 0 | 7 |
| Castro struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| Marisnick grounded into fielder's choice to third, Moran out at second. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Chris Devenski pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Cron popped out to first. | 0 | 7 |
| Giavotella walked. | 0 | 7 |
| Ortega struck out looking. | 0 | 7 |
| Pérez lined out to left. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Springer grounded out to third. | 0 | 7 |
| Altuve lined out to shortstop. | 0 | 7 |
| Correa grounded out to second. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Chris Devenski pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Petit struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| Escobar grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 7 |
| Calhoun struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Rasmus struck out looking. | 0 | 7 |
| Gattis singled to left. | 0 | 7 |
| Valbuena fouled out to catcher. | 0 | 7 |
| Moran flied out to center. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Chris Devenski pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Kemp in left field. | 0 | 7 |
| González at shortstop. | 0 | 7 |
| White at first base. | 0 | 7 |
| Rasmus in right field. | 0 | 7 |
| Valbuena at second base. | 0 | 7 |
| Trout walked. | 0 | 7 |
| Robinson ran for Trout. | 0 | 7 |
| Pujols flied out to right. | 0 | 7 |
| Cron grounded out to third, Robinson to second. | 0 | 7 |
| Giavotella singled to shallow right, Robinson to third. | 0 | 7 |
| Ortega flied out to right. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Robinson in center field. | 0 | 7 |
| Castro grounded out to first. | 0 | 7 |
| Marisnick struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| Kemp struck out looking. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Chris Devenski pitching for Houston | HOU | LAA |
| Pérez flied out to center. | 0 | 7 |
| Petit lined out to left. | 0 | 7 |
| Cowart hit for Escobar. | 0 | 7 |
| Cowart struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Matt Shoemaker pitching for Los Angeles | HOU | LAA |
| Cowart at third base. | 0 | 7 |
| González reached on infield single to first. | 0 | 7 |
| White flied out to right. | 0 | 7 |
| Rasmus singled to right, González to second. | 0 | 7 |
| Bedrosian relieved Shoemaker. | 0 | 7 |
| Gattis walked, González to third, Rasmus to second. | 0 | 7 |
| Valbuena struck out swinging. | 0 | 7 |
| Moran singled to left, González and Rasmus scored, Gattis to second. | 2 | 7 |
| Castro struck out swinging. | 2 | 7 |
| 2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston Astros | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Springer RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .266 | .359 | .484 |
Kemp LF
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .250 | .333 | .438 |
| Altuve 2B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | .311 | .395 | .544 |
González SS
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .233 | .276 | .405 |
| Correa SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .246 | .335 | .401 |
White 1B
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .227 | .303 | .453 |
| Rasmus LF-RF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | .229 | .321 | .410 |
| Gattis DH | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 17 | .245 | .304 | .441 |
| Valbuena 1B-2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | .214 | .295 | .389 |
| Moran 3B | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 | .125 | .176 | .125 |
| Castro C | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | .202 | .336 | .360 |
| Marisnick CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | .118 | .151 | .176 |
| Totals | 34 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 129 | |||
| BATTING RBI: Moran 2 (2) 2-out RBI: Moran 2 Astros RISP: 1-4 (Gattis 0-1, Valbuena 0-1, Castro 0-1, Moran 1-1) Team LOB: 6 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING Picked Off: Correa (1st base by Shoemaker) | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA |
| Attendance | 39,047 (85.8% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:38 |
| Weather | 67 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 10 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - John Hirschbeck, First Base - Vic Carapazza, Second Base - Pat Hoberg, Third Base - D.J. Reyburn |
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