The Houston Astros scored four runs in a chaotic ninth inning to erase a late deficit and defeat the Los Angeles Angels 6-4 on Monday night, turning a game that appeared headed for an Angels victory into another painful loss.
LaMonte Wade Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run as Houston took advantage of defensive miscues and shaky relief pitching. The Astros overcame a four-run deficit to open the three-game series, while the Angels suffered their ninth loss of the season in games they led after eight innings.
Houston continued its strong run with another comeback win, while Los Angeles was left to rue a late collapse after receiving an excellent start from rookie right-hander Walbert Ureña.
Angels Build Early Lead
The Angels struck quickly against Houston starter Tatsuya Imai.
Imai failed to escape the first inning for the third time this season. Nolan Schanuel opened the scoring with a sacrifice fly before Vaughn Grissom added an RBI single to give Los Angeles a 2-0 lead.
The Angels extended their advantage in the third inning.
Grissom connected for his seventh home run of the season against reliever AJ Blubaugh, and Jo Adell followed with an RBI double that stretched the lead to 4-0.
The early offense gave Ureña a comfortable cushion as he continued another strong outing.
Ureña Keeps Houston Quiet
The rookie right-hander held the Astros in check through six innings.
Ureña allowed one run on just two hits while striking out key hitters and consistently working out of trouble. His only blemish came in the fourth inning when Taylor Trammell hit a solo home run, his fifth of the season and his second in as many games.
The outing left Ureña in line for another victory when he exited with the Angels leading 4-1.
Astros Begin the Comeback
Houston slowly chipped away after Ureña departed.
Jeremy Peña opened the eighth inning with a double, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Yordan Alvarez followed with an RBI single off Ryan Zeferjahn to cut the deficit to 4-2 and bring the Astros within striking distance.
That set the stage for a dramatic ninth inning.
Ninth-Inning Meltdown
Houston’s rally began when José Fermin hit Trammell with a pitch to open the inning.
Christian Walker followed with a single before Lucas Spence hit a potential double-play ground ball. Instead of ending the threat, the ball rolled through the legs of second baseman Vaughn Grissom, allowing Trammell to score and trimming the Angels’ lead to 4-3.
Sam Bachman entered in relief and recorded one out before intentionally walking Alvarez to load the bases.
The strategy backfired moments later.
Bachman hit Isaac Paredes with a pitch, forcing home the tying run. Wade then worked a bases-loaded walk to put Houston ahead for the first time all night.
The Astros added another insurance run when Jose Altuve reached on a fielding error charged to Bachman, allowing Alvarez to score and make it 6-4.
The four-run inning featured one hit, two walks, two hit batters and two costly Angels errors.
Astros Bullpen Shuts the Door
Houston’s bullpen played a major role in the comeback.
After Imai exited in the first inning, Blubaugh limited the damage before Cristian Javier took over and dominated the Angels’ lineup.
Javier pitched five scoreless innings, allowing Houston’s offense time to rally while striking out seven batters. He earned his first victory of the season with an outstanding relief performance.
Closer Josh Hader made things interesting in the ninth by issuing two walks, but he escaped the inning to record his 13th save and secure the comeback win.
Another Tough Finish for Los Angeles
The Angels appeared in control for much of the night after building a four-run lead behind Grissom’s two-run performance and Ureña’s six strong innings.
Instead, defensive mistakes and command issues in the bullpen erased the advantage in the final inning.
Houston improved its position with another resilient comeback, while the Angels were left with another frustrating late-game defeat despite controlling most of the contest.
Up Next
The series continued Tuesday night with Houston scheduled to start right-hander Peter Lambert, who entered with an 8-5 record and a 3.03 ERA. The Angels were set to counter with left-hander Reid Detmers, who carried a 3-7 record and a 4.05 ERA.