Just a week ago, the Astros were in a life-or-death struggle with the Angels for last place in the AL West. Despite winning seven of their last eight games and moving into third place since then, tonight, their pitching had a flashback to those dark days in the cellar.
The Angels struck first, starting the game with a little luck off Astros starter Framber Valdez. Nolan Schamuel led off with a swinging bunt single, followed by a Luis Rengifo seeing-eye ground ball single against the shift just inches beyond Jose Altuve’s outstretched glove.
A sac fly brought Schamuel home, but the Astros appeared to put the game away in the second inning with a four-spot off Ty Detmer.