Astros Crush Angels, Tie For AL West Lead

This one had a little bit of everything. Jose Altuve set a new career high with five RBIs in the game. Chris Carter had a home run. The ever-swift Evan Gattis had yet another triple, his seventh on the year. In the end it added up to ten runs, a win, and a great start to this important series for the Astros.

The game didn't start well, as Colin McHugh struggled early on. The Angels scored two quick runs in the first, and McHugh wasn't sharp. The Astros fought back with a solo home run from Carlos Correa in the bottom of the first. The Angels added two more runs in the second, but the Astros again fought back, this time on a two run homer from Chris Carter and Altuve's first RBI.

The Angel scored their final run in the third inning, but McHugh limited the damage from that point on. He ended up making it through the fifth inning, grinding out a win on a night when he didn't have his best stuff.

The Astros tied it in the fourth on a bizarre play that once again highlighted the club's aggressive baserunning. With Hank Conger at second and Jake Marisnick at first, Altuve hit a sharp single to center. Conger scored, but Altuve was caught in a rundown between first and second. He stayed alive long enough for Marisnick to come all the way around and tie the game.

They finally broke through for good in the sixth inning. Colby Rasmus doubled to plate a run, Altuve doubled to knock in two more, and Evan Gattis (triples machine) scored Altuve.

The bullpen closed the door with four effective innings and finished off another home win for the Astros. The win moves them into a first place tie with the Angels in the AL West with two more games left in the series.