Angels' Magic Number Is 5 After Comeback Victory Over Astros
ANAHEIM (AP) — David Freese hit a two-run homer and Mike Trout had an RBI triple during Los Angeles' seven-run fifth inning, and the Angels beat the Houston Astros, 11-3, Friday night for their ninth consecutive victory.
Kole Calhoun had a tiebreaking, two-run single in the fifth for the major league-leading Angels (92-55), who began their final homestand by reducing their magic number to five for their first AL West title since 2009. They lead spiraling Oakland, which lost 4-2 in Seattle, by 11 games with 15 to play.
Calhoun had three hits for the Angels, who erased an early 3-0 deficit with another barrage from the majors' most productive offense. Los Angeles has scored at least seven runs in eight consecutive games.
Brett Oberholtzer (5-11) couldn't get through the fifth for the Astros, who had won eight of 10.
Trout had an RBI double in the fourth and Howie Kendrick added a two-run double in the sixth for Los Angeles. The Angels have won 15 of 17 overall, highlighted by their longest winning streak since August 2004.
The Angels scored 70 runs during their eight-game road streak, and they increased that offensive pace in their return to the Big A, trouncing the only team that has beaten them since Aug. 25. The Astros took two straight from Los Angeles early last week.
The Angels had seven hits in the fifth, scoring their first run of the inning when Jake Marisnick dropped Collin Cowgill's fly ball in right for an error. Calhoun, Trout and Albert Pujols all drove in runs before Freese's eighth homer, his second in 42 games.
C.J. Wilson (12-9) struggled just to reach the fifth, but the Angels' offense secured his second straight victory. The inconsistent left-hander gave up seven hits and struck out six.
Marisnick, Robbie Grossman and Dexter Fowler drove in early runs for the Astros.
Marisnick, from nearby Riverside, got a 20-foot RBI single in the first inning when Wilson and catcher Chris Iannetta couldn't field his bases-loaded topper cleanly.
Los Angeles maintained its four-game lead over Baltimore (88-59) for the majors' best record.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: Cleanup hitter Josh Hamilton missed his eighth straight game with an injured right shoulder, and the offense again didn't miss him. The 2010 AL MVP's return is still uncertain. ... LHP Joe Thatcher was activated from the disabled list after a six-week absence with a sprained ankle.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Scott Feldman (8-10, 3.99 ERA) starts the middle game of the series against RHP Jered Weaver (16-8, 3.58), who looks for his AL-leading 17th win.
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