Astros 2 - 1 Angels
Final
  for this game

Astros complete four-game sweep of Halos

Jun 4, 2013 - 5:34 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Brandon Barnes' sacrifice fly gave the Houston Astros a 2-1 win and a four-game sweep of the LA Angels of Anaheim on Monday.

Chris Carter hit a solo home run and Erik Bedard (1-2) got his first win in 12 appearances this season as he gave up just a run on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts over seven innings for the Astros, who have won six in a row for the first time in almost three years.

Also, Houston went 6-0 on its road trip and has won six straight as the visitor for the first time since July 18-22, 2005.

"Erik finally gets his first win after giving us seven strong innings," said Houston manager Tony DeFrancesco. "He mixed his pitches and used both sides of the plate. It comes down to execution and these guys are doing a tremendous job."

Mike Trout drove in the lone run of the game for the Angels, who suffered a four-game sweep at home for the first time since dropping four in a row to Tampa Bay from Aug. 16-19, 2012.

Joe Blanton (1-9) gave up just two runs on three hits with a season-high 11 strikeouts, but dropped his second straight start.

"Joe was great tonight and hopefully he's turned the corner," said Mike Scioscia. "He is definitely pitching to his capabilities. We're just not doing things on the offensive side. These last four games, the switch has been turned off."

Carter tied the game in the fifth when he crushed a 1-0 cutter deep into the left-field stands and the Astros went ahead in the sixth.

Matt Dominguez doubled to left to start the frame and moved to third when Marwin Gonzalez followed with a sacrifice bunt. Barnes then clubbed a pitch to deep center that was fielded, but it was plenty deep to get Dominguez home for a 2-1 lead.

The Angels stranded two men on base in the sixth as Howie Kendrick grounded out to end the frame, and Bedard set the team down in order in the seventh.

In the eighth, Wesley Wright got the first two outs of the inning before Josh Fields took over on the mound. Trout punched a single to right and Albert Pujols followed with a liner to center, but Barnes made a diving catch on the ball for the final out.

Jose Veras came out to close the game in the ninth and quickly got the first two outs, but Alberto Callaspo kept the frame alive with a ground-rule double off the glove of Carter at first base. Pinch-hitter Josh Hamilton then worked a walk to put the go-ahead run on base, but Veras got pinch-hitter Hank Conger to look at strike three to pick up his 11th save of the season.

The Angels got on board in the third as J.B. Shuck doubled with one out and moved to third on an Erick Aybar single. Trout then lofted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Shuck for a 1-0 lead.

Game Notes

Houston last four-game road sweep came in 2010 against the Philadelphia Phillies ... The Astros return home to face Baltimore for a three-game set starting on Tuesday ... The Angels host the Cubs for a brief two-game series beginning on Tuesday ... Houston has won seven of 10 games against the Angels this season.






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