Astros ride five-run second inning to series win over Angels
ASTROS DEFEAT ANGELS
13 April
ASTROS DEFEAT ANGELS
Isaac Paredes hit a three-run homer to cap Houston’s five-run second inning, Hayden Wesneski struck out a career-high 10 and the Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 on Sunday.
BACK TO BACK TO BACK GAMES FOR ISAAC! 5-2 STROS! pic.twitter.com/vJgDegQPiW
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 13, 2025
Cam Smith and Mauricio Dubón hit RBI singles off Angels starter Kyle Hendricks (0-1) before Paredes launched his home run into the Crawford Boxes to give the Astros a 5-2 lead. Paredes has homered in three straight games, all to left field.
Cam gets us on the board!#TheNextFrontier pic.twitter.com/BV54PgM1NH
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 13, 2025
Jeremy Peña had an RBI groundout in the sixth and Jose Altuve hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
Wesneski (1-1) allowed three runs — all on solo home runs — and five hits in six innings. He retired 11 straight during one stretch before Kevin Newman’s two-out single in the fifth.
Taylor Ward led off for the Angels with a solo homer, his 10th career leadoff home run. He has five homers in his last five games.
Nolan Schanuel hit a solo shot in the second and Jorge Soler hit a solo home run in the sixth.
Hendricks allowed five runs and four hits in four innings. Hendricks had allowed two runs over 11 innings in his first two starts this season.
With runners on first and second and two outs in the seventh, Bryan Abreu struck out Ward to end the inning and keep Houston ahead by three.
Houston pitching combined for 16 strikeouts and no walks.
After an off day Monday, Los Angeles LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-2, 5.00 ERA) starts Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series at Texas. Houston LHP Framber Valdez (1-1, 2.50) starts Monday in the opener of a three-game series at St. Louis.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
The home run by Peraza.
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.