Astros 3 - 2 Angels
Final
  for this game

McHugh carries unblemished mark into Anaheim

May 7, 2015 - 2:14 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Collin McHugh played with some fire last time out, but kept his perfect record intact.

McHugh puts that unblemished mark on the line Thursday night when the Houston Astros attempt to get back on track in the opener of a four-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

McHugh is 4-0 with a 3.41 earned run average through five starts and survived giving up four solo homers -- three in the second inning -- in an 11-4 triumph over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. The righty only allowed two other hits and also walked two over his season high-tying seven innings of work.

It marked the first homers he had given up this season, but McHugh has allowed 10 earned runs in his past three outings after giving up just two over his first two starts.

McHugh has split four previous starts against the Angels while pitching to a 1.90 ERA. He has allowed five earned runs and one homer in 23 2/3 innings against them.

The Astros went into a three-game set with the Texas Rangers having won 10 in a row, but were swept by their division rivals and are on their first three- game slide of the season.

The Rangers torched Astros starter Samuel Deduno for 10 runs and 11 hits over a 4 2/3-inning stint. Chris Carter had a two-run homer in the ninth inning for Houston and Jonathan Villar added an RBI single in defeat.

"All around, just a forgettable series for us," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said.

Houston played minus outfielder George Springer as he was placed on the seven- day concussion list. He hit his head against the outfield wall while making a running catch during Tuesday's game.

The Astros have a five-game lead over the Angels for first place in the AL West, but Los Angeles made up some ground by following up a four-game slide with consecutive walk-off wins over the Seattle Mariners.

Carlos Perez hit a walk-off solo homer in a win on Tuesday night to snap the Angels' slide and Johnny Giavotella played the hero in last night's 4-3 triumph.

After the Mariners tied the game off L.A. closer Huston Street in the top of the ninth, David Freese drew a leadoff walk to begin the bottom of the frame.

Erick Aybar failed on a sacrifice bunt try to move pinch-runner Taylor Featherston, who was thrown out at second, but Giavotella followed with an RBI double to the right-field corner on a hit-and-run.

"We didn't get a bunt down but we picked it up with a good execution of a hit- and-run," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Johnny and Erick executed a great hit-and-run."

The Angels will look for Hector Santiago to rebound tonight while the left- hander himself tries to beat the Astros for the first time.

Santiago lost for the first time since April 10 with Saturday's 5-4 setback in San Francisco. He yielded a season-high four runs and nine hits over five innings, falling to 2-2 while seeing his ERA rise from 2.28 to 3.14.

The 27-year-old had allowed just a single earned run in each of his previous three starts and comes in winless in over five previous encounters with the Astros. That includes three starts and he is 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA.

The Astros won two of three over the Angels in Houston from April 17-19, but Los Angeles won eight of 10 at home in this series last season.






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