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Hamilton leads Angels past Astros

Apr 15, 2013 - 12:05 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Josh Hamilton collected three RBI and finished a double shy of the cycle as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim slipped past the Houston Astros, 4-1, on Sunday in the finale of a three-game set at Angel Stadium.

Mike Trout stroked a solo homer and scored three times for the Angels, while starter C.J. Wilson (1-0) held Houston to one run on five hits and four walks over six solid innings.

"I had confidence today with all my pitches," Wilson remarked. "I had extra in the tank. I had the strength to throw a lot of pitches. I was able to keep them off balance."

Ernesto Frieri recorded the final out of the eighth and worked around a two- out single in the ninth to nail down his second save of the season for the Angels, who have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Philip Humber (0-3) was a hard-luck loser, as the Houston right-hander gave up two runs and scattered seven hits and walked just one over seven strong frames.

"Humber was outstanding," Astros manager Bo Porter said of his starter. "He was efficient with his pitches."

Matt Dominguez's run-scoring double in the second accounted for the lone run for the Astros, who had won three straight before dropping the final two games of the series.

"We got men on base, we were just not able to execute," Porter added.

The Angels struck first in the opening frame, as Trout scorched a one-out double, moved to third on an Albert Pujols ground out, and then crossed the plate on Hamilton's single to give the Halos a 1-0 edge.

Houston pulled even in the second when Dominguez followed Ronny Cedeno's leadoff double with a two-bagger of his own, but the Angels jumped back in front in the third after Trout launched a solo shot over the wall in right- center field.

The Astros nearly pulled even in the sixth, when Carlos Pena worked a one-out walk and Carlos Corporan followed with a single to center before moving to second on the throw to put runners at second and third.

Cedeno then laid down a suicide-squeeze, but Wilson recovered the bunt and flipped to catcher Hank Conger, who applied the tag on Pena running from third to keep the Astros from tying the game.

Wilson escaped the inning unscathed by getting Dominguez to fly out.

Sean Burnett took over for the Halos in the seventh and retired the Astros in order before Scott Downs ran into trouble in the eighth, when he issued a one- out walk to Chris Carter and then served up a two-out single to Corporan to put the tying run on second.

Frieri then entered and fanned pinch-hitter Jason Castro to escape the mild threat.

Hamilton provided Frieri with some breathing room in the bottom half, as the Los Angeles slugger launched a two-run blast over the wall in left-center field for his second homer in as many games to give the Angels a 4-1 advantage.

Frieri fanned the side in the ninth despite issuing a two-out single to Jose Altuve.

Game Notes

Houston went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base ... The Angels open a three-game set in Minnesota on Monday ... Houston heads to Oakland for a three-game set beginning on Monday.