HOUSTON (AP) — Jon Singleton’s tiebreaking two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning lifted the Houston Astros to a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night.
The game was tied 1-1 when Ryan Miller (0-1) walked Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker to start the eighth. A fielder’s-choice grounder by Yainer Diaz sent Alvarez to third.
Jeremy Peña grounded out on a ball that rolled just in front of the batter’s box before the Angels intentionally walked Victor Caratini to load the bases.
Singleton then smacked his two-strike double, a line drive to center field to score Alvarez and Diaz.
Houston’s magic number to clinch the AL West dropped to five.
Yusei Kikuchi allowed five hits and a run while striking out nine in six innings as the Astros improved to 9-0 in his nine starts since a trade from Toronto on July 29.
Taylor Ward hit a leadoff homer for the Angels, who went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position to snap a two-game winning streak.
Zach Neto doubled with one out in the eighth and he advanced to third on a groundout by Nolan Schanuel. But Bryan Abreu (3-3) retired Brandon Drury on a grounder.
Josh Hader pitched a scoreless ninth for his 32nd save.
Ward hit his fifth leadoff homer in the last 19 games. It was his 25th homer of the season, making him the ninth left fielder in franchise history with at least 25 and the first since 2018.
Kikuchi walked Schanuel with one out before a single by Drury. But Kikuchi struck out the next two batters.
The Astros had just one hit when Diaz reached on Eric Wagaman’s third error of the game to start the fourth. A single by Peña sent him to third and the Astros tied it when he scored on a single by Caratini.
José Suarez permitted three hits and a run with five strikeouts in five innings in his second start this season after spending most of the year in the bullpen.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: OF Mickey Moniak missed a fourth straight game with a bruised left hand after he was hit by a pitch Sunday.
UP NEXT
Houston RHP Justin Verlander (4-6, 5.20 ERA) opposes LHP Tyler Anderson (10-13, 3.60) when the series continues Friday night.
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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB
Kristie Rieken, The Associated Press