American League Game Summary - LA Angels of Anaheim at Houston
Houston, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Trout cracked a pair of home runs, the last a three-run shot that broke a tie game in the eighth inning and propelled the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros.
Trout delivered a two-run shot, the reigning American League MVP's 100th homer of his career, earlier as part of a five-RBI night. Kole Calhoun added a pair of hits and scored three times in his return to the lineup to help the Angels take the opener of this three-game series.
Jered Weaver turned in his best start of the season for Anaheim, though he wound up with a no-decision despite permitting just two runs on six hits through six innings. Cesar Ramos (1-0) received the win after escaping a jam in the bottom of the seventh that preceded Trout's go-ahead blast off Chad Qualls (0-1).
"He's one of the better players in the game right now," Qualls said of Trout. "Hats off to him. He did his job."
Astros starter Roberto Hernandez struck out six while allowing three runs on only three hits over six innings of work.
Jason Castro had a solo homer for Houston and Evan Gattis finished 2-for-4 in the loss, the Astros' third in four games.
Weaver, battered for 10 runs in 10 1/3 innings in his two previous starts, was denied his first victory of 2015 when the Astros pushed home a run against the Anaheim bullpen in the bottom of the seventh. However, the Angels quickly threatened with the game knotted at 3-3 in the eighth.
Johnny Giavotella greeted Qualls with a single and Calhoun worked a walk to bring up Trout, who launched a sinker the other way into the seats in right to break the deadlock.
"When I get my pitch I'm just trying to swing hard," Trout said.
Joe Smith and Huston Street then protected the lead with a scoreless inning apiece, with Street recording a spotless ninth for his fourth save.
Weaver had departed with a 3-2 lead that was erased shortly after pinch-hit singles by Robbie Grossman and Jonathan Villar and Pestano's walk to Jose Altuve loaded the bases with none out in the seventh. George Springer then plated Grossman with a sacrifice fly, but Ramos entered the game and got Jed Lowrie to bounce into a crucial double play that kept it tied.
Hernandez had yielded only one hit -- a leadoff triple by Calhoun in the fourth that led to the game's initial run -- through his first five innings. However, Calhoun singled with one out in the sixth and Trout followed by crushing a pitch into the left-field seats to stake the Angels to a 3-1 lead.
Castro swiftly brought Houston within one, however, by hammering a full-count curve from Weaver over the wall in right during the Astros' half of the inning.
Hernandez had retired the first nine Anaheim hitters -- four on strikeouts -- prior to Calhoun drilling a pitch to Tal's Hill in center field and hustling all the way to third. A sacrifice fly from Matt Joyce later in the fourth put the Angels up 1-0.
Weaver was able to hold the Astros off the board until the fifth, when infield singles by Chris Carter and Jake Marisnick set up Altuve's run-scoring base hit up the middle. The Angels starter prevented further damage, however, by retiring Springer and Lowrie with two in scoring position.