Los Angeles Angels vs Houston Astros Box Score on Sep 24, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 25, 2017

HOUSTON -- Brandon Phillips and Justin Upton homered and drove in two runs apiece, and Luis Valbuena also had two RBIs in the Los Angeles Angels' 7-5 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday at Minute Maid Park.

The win keeps the Angels (77-78) in the hunt for the final American League wild-card slot. Los Angeles, which has seven games left, is 4 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins.

In the seventh, Valbuena drove a two-run double to the wall in right-center, breaking a tie and giving the Angels the 6-4 lead.

After George Springer hit his 33rd home run of the season to cut into the lead in the bottom of the seventh, Upton answered with his 35th long ball to make it 7-5 in the eighth.

Keynan Middleton (6-1) got the win after striking out two in a perfect sixth inning. Blake Parker threw a scoreless ninth for the save, his seventh in nine chances this season.

The Astros' bullpen struggled after Lance McCullers was able to only go 3 1/3 innings. Seven Houston relievers gave up five runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Chris Devenski (8-6) took the loss giving up two runs on three hits with one walk in one inning.

The Angels had been held to just three runs in the past 28 innings heading into Sunday's game. This was the first time they scored seven runs in a game since Sept. 15.

Astros manager A.J. Hinch was ejected in the bottom of the seventh inning after Evan Gattis was called out for batter's interference to end the frame.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman turned on a pitch from Tyler Skaggs for his for a two-run shot giving Houston the 2-1 lead. It was Bregman's 17th long ball of the season.

Gattis added to it with his 20th double of the season, driving in Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa pushing the lead to 4-1.

Sunday marked the first time Skaggs has surrendered four or more runs in a start since Sept. 1, when he gave up six against the Texas Rangers.

Skaggs finished giving up four runs on six hits, walking two and striking out three in five innings in a no decision.

The Angels got one back when Phillips blasted his 12th home run of the season, bouncing a curveball off the train tracks, making it 4-2.

One batter later, McCullers' night was over. In his first start since Sept. 6, McCullers gave up two runs on four hits, walking one and striking out four in 3 1/3 innings in a no decision.

McCullers threw just 63 pitches in his shortest outing of the season. It is his shortest outing since going 1/3 inning against Texas on Aug. 3, 2015.

In the fifth inning, Francis Martes struggled. With the bases loaded and two outs, Martes walked Phillips scoring Kole Calhoun, who singled earlier, making it 4-3.

With Martes out, James Hoyt entered the game and walked Andrelton Simmons, scoring Mike Trout from third and tying the game at 4-4.

The Angels struck first in the third inning as Martin Maldonado scored on a fielder's choice. Upton, who drove in a run on the play, reached as the Astros (95-60) were trying to turn an inning-ending double play. Upton's RBI total of 108 is second in the American League.

NOTES: Sunday night was Houston RHP Lance McCullers' second start since July 30. McCullers has battled back discomfort and arm fatigue this season. The arm fatigue was the reason for his scratch from the Sept. 13 start in Anaheim. ... In 10 starts since returning from the disabled list, Angels LHP Tyler Skaggs is 1-5 with a 4.76 ERA.