Harden drops another 50-plus game with 54
The Rockets report, brought to you by APG&E: Rockets beat Magic 130-107
Dec 13, 2019, 8:23 pm
For the second straight game, James Harden put up more than 50, scoring 54 as the Rockets raced past the Magic 130-107. He now has 109 points in his last two games. For the second game in a row, he did not do much of it at the free throw line, going 6 of 6.
Russell Westbrook had another solid game with 23 points on 9 of 18 shooting.
Star of the game: Hmmm...this is a toughie. Actually, no, it's all Harden, who is playing at a terrific level. He was 10 of 15 on 3-pointers.
Key moment: The Rockets were up 94-78 when James Harden stole the ball and went the distance to score at the buzzer of the third quarter. Orlando never threatened after that.
Up next: The Rockets host the Pistons at Toyota Center tomorrow night at 8 p.m.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.