Astros 3 - 4 Angels
Final
  for this game

Astros seek to extend power surge against Angels

Jun 22, 2015 - 1:56 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Houston Astros seek to extend their power surge at the plate on Monday evening as they play the first of three straight games against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

The Astros have hit multiple home runs in a franchise-record eight straight games, with Colby Rasmus and George Springer going deep in Sunday's 6-2 win over Seattle. Rasmus' two-run shot in the seventh inning gave Houston some breathing room.

Evan Gattis and Luis Valbuena each hit RBI singles as the Astros snapped a two-game slide and Springer had three hits. He is batting .485 with four homers and seven RBI over a 14-game hitting streak.

Vincent Velasquez gave up one run on two hits and four walks with five strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings in his third career start. Will Harris earned the win in relief and was part of a strong bullpen effort that combined to allow just one more run and two hits over the final 5 2/3 frames.

"Just an overall good win," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. "A lot of contributions, especially from the bullpen."

The Astros have hit 20 homers over their last eight games and could have second baseman Jose Altuve back in the lineup tonight. He has not started for four straight games due to hamstring discomfort and is batting .287 on the year with five homers, 28 RBI and 17 steals.

Left-hander Brett Oberholtzer will make his sixth start of the season tonight for Houston aiming to secure a third straight victory.

Oberholtzer was 0-1 with a 3.75 earned run average through is first three starts while also spending time on the disabled list, but broke through for his first win on June 12 with a dominating effort against Seattle. He held the Mariners to just three singles over eight innings of a 10-0 win.

The 25-year-old then beat Colorado 8-4 on Wednesday, charged with three runs on eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. He did not walk a batter and fanned five, lowering his ERA to 2.73.

Oberholtzer is 1-3 lifetime versus the Angels, posting a 6.35 ERA over four starts.

The Angels managed just three runs in losing the final two games of their set with the Oakland Athletics after winning Friday's opener 12-7. Scott Kazmir shut down Los Angeles over 7 1/3 innings on Sunday to hand the Angels a 3-2 loss.

Garrett Richards was dealt the loss, yielding all three runs on eight hits over six innings. Albert Pujols hit his AL-leading 21st homer of the season, a two-run shot off reliever Tyler Clippard in the eighth.

"It is what it is. (Kazmir) is in the big leagues and has good stuff for a reason," Pujols said. "He's a gamer that's what I like about him."

The Angels begin a nine-game homestand tonight and starter Hector Santiago tries to pick up his first win since May 29.

Santiago, though, has lost only once since his last victory and that came last time out against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. He was charged with three runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings, striking out nine but giving up a pair of homers in the 3-2 decision.

The 27-year-old southpaw fell to 4-4 with a 2.77 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) this season and is 0-2 with a 5.32 ERA in six games versus the Astros. He made his fourth start against them on May 7 and did not factor into a 3-2 loss, hurling 6 1/3 scoreless innings of one-hit, four-walk ball.

The Angels and Astros split a four-game set in Anaheim in the most recent meeting from May 7-10.






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