Astros Sweep Angels, Return to .500
After 110 games, the Astros reached the .500 mark for the first time this season. Their 7-4 win over the Angels in Anaheim completed a series sweep and highlighted a dominant 5-1 road trip. Houston is now riding an 8-1 stretch in their last 9 games. Meanwhile, the Angels (42-67) fell further into the cellar, standing 25 games below .500.
Hayden Wesneski made his return to the mound following Tommy John surgery, and the journey wasn't without early hiccups. The first six batters saw five reach base, but Wesneski found his rhythm, ultimately pitching 5 2/3 innings. He gave up three earned runs, seven hits, two walks, and struck out four. Manager Joe Espada and his fellow Astros teammates voiced their praise for the solid debut.
The Angels struck first against the Astros, thanks to some timely hitting. Zach Neto drew a leadoff walk before moving to second on a Mike Trout double. They were then both forced in on a double by Vaughn Grissom. Grissom would later return to the dugout after scoring on a double from Jo Adell, who recorded his 61st RBI of the year. That put the Angels up 3-0 in the first inning. The Astros countered in the second when Yanier Diaz launched a deep 425-foot home run, marking his seventh of the season and cutting the deficit in half.
The Astros took the lead in the third inning when Jeremy Pena capitalized on a poorly placed hanging slider from Grayson Rodriguez. Pena sent the pitch over the centerfield wall, putting Houston ahead. Pena is now on a remarkable streak, having hit six home runs in the past week and maintaining an impressive 11-game hitting streak.
Mitch Farris came on to replace Rodriguez and immediately found trouble. The turning point came when Cam Smith, coming off a brutal 2-42 slump, hit a two-run double to give the Astros a 4-3 lead. Farris was unable to contain the damage, surrendering three earned runs and walking three batters in the sixth inning. His struggles were clear, and he was removed from the game.
In the seventh inning, Houston added an insurance run with a key play on the basepaths. Yanier Diaz drove in a hustling Jose Altuve, who tagged up and advanced all the way from first on an RBI single, making it 6-3. Diaz was a force all night, registering four hits. The Angels tried to make up ground in the eighth, scoring a run on Adell's second RBI of the game. An error in the ninth by Denzer Guzman allowed Christian Walker to come home, and Bryan Abreu closed the game with four outs to earn his seventh save.
Several Astros players continued their strong performances. Yanier Diaz, with four hits, was a standout. Jose Altuve added two hits, extending his hot streak. Yordan Alvarez now leads the majors in intentional walks, with 19 on the season. Houston will look to build on this momentum as they open a 6-game home stretch Friday night against the AL West-leading Rangers.
The last time the Astros swept a series in Anaheim was back in September 2024, so this victory marks a historic return. With the win, Houston is just one game behind the Rangers for first place in the AL West. Hunter Brown will take the mound Friday night in search of his third win of the season.