This game was unorthodox by Angels standards because they actually scored a bunch of runs. The dreaded Doug Eddings was the home plate umpire today. Well, if Angels strikeouts counted as highlights I would have a bunch of them for you in the first two innings. Nothing really happened until the bottom of the second inning when the Astros plated a run on a sacrifice fly. 1-0 Astros.
Gustavo Campero got a one out triple in the top of the third inning. Jack Lopez came up and somehow managed to get an RBI base hit. 1-1 tie.
A Taylor Ward ground out advanced Lopez to second. Lopez would have been there earlier on a steal were it not for batter interference by Taylor Ward. Zach Neto flied out to end the top of the third inning.
Kyle Tucker got his second hit and Alex Bregman hit a two run homer. 3-1 Astros. Yainer Diaz singled. Jeremy Pena hit one back to Anderson who royally screwed up. The Astros ended up with men at second and third with one out. It was initially scored a double error on Anderson. That was revised to be one error (on the terrible throw to second) and a fielder’s choice. Jake Meyers homered. 6-1 Astros. The Angels asked for an umpire review but the home run was upheld. Mauricio Dubon singled to chase Tyler Anderson out of the game. Enter Kenny Rosenberg. He got Jose Altuve out to end the third inning.
In the fourth, Kevin Pillar got a one out walk. Pillar stole second with two outs while Eric Wagaman batted. A Wagaman base hit scored Kevin Pillar. 6-2 Astros.
Matt Thaiss lined a single into right field advancing Wagaman to third. Gustavo Campero got hit by a pitch to load the bases for The Mighty Lopez. He grounded to Jeremy Pena who didn’t have a play. Eric Wagaman scored 6-3 Astros.
The bases were still loaded with two outs for Taylor Ward who flied out. Yordan Alvarez walked and Kyle Tucker singled. Alex Bregman then singled scoring Alvarez. 7-3 Astros. Yainer Diaz singled on a liner to center field. It scored Kyle Tucker. 8-3 Astros. Jeremy Pena hit a double play ball but the Angels only got the out at second. This was the first out of the inning. Victor Caratini hit into a double play to end the inning at last.
Zach Neto singled on the ground through to center. Justin Verlander balked to send him to second base. Nolan Schanuel singled to put men at first and third with no outs. Kevin Pillar lined out to third. Nico Kavadas popped out to third. Eric Wagaman doubled to center leaving runners at second and third. Zach Neto scored. 8-4 Astros. Verlander was driven out of the game.
Matt Thaiss got a hit into right center to score a couple more. 8-6 Astros. Gustavo Campero made an out to end the Angels scoring in the fifth.
Roansy Contreras came in to pitch for the Angels. He retired the Astros without further scoring. Taylor Ward got a one out infield single to get the Angels started in the top of the sixth inning. It led to nothing.
Kyle Tucker hit a homer to make it 9-6 Astros. So much for a pitcher’s duel. Let’s go for 20-17 Angels!
Now we come to the Angels seventh. Kevin Pillar homered. 9-7 Astros. Suck it Astros!
Nico Kavadas singled to right. Eric Wagaman singled to left. There were still no outs and men on first and second. Matt Thaiss struck out. Gustavo Campero flied out to left. Brandon Drury came in to pinch hit for Jack Lopez. It’s hard to believe I just typed that. He struck out. That’s more believable.
The Astros went three up three down. The Angels came up in the eighth inning only down by two. Ryan Pressly came in to pitch for the Astros. He retired the Angels in order. Brock Burke came in to pitch for the Angels. He retired the Astros in order.
In the ninth with Josh Hader pitching, Kevin Pillar struck out. So did pinch hitter Logan O’Hoppe. Eric
Wagaman flied out to end the game. Astros won unfortunately.
