Big fifth inning leads Angels past Astros

Nolan Schanuel and Logan O’Hoppe both hit three-run homers and Jo Adell added a solo shot as the Angels jumped on Framber Valdez for seven runs in the fifth inning to power them to a 9-7 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Zach Neto homered in the sixth inning to give the Angels a season-high four home runs as they won for the fourth time in five games.

It’s the first time in franchise history the Angels have had four players age 25 or younger homer in the same game.

“They’re growing up,” manager Ron Washington said. “They’re starting to figure things out. They really didn’t try to do too much and they ended up doing a lot. And that’s what it’s about.”

They trailed by five with two on and one out in the fifth when Schanuel homered to right field to cut the lead to 6-4. There were two on again with two out when O’Hoppe connected to put the Angels up 7-6.

Adell sent the next pitch by Valdez (3-2) into the seats in right field to push it to 8-6.

Valdez was tagged for a season-high 10 hits and tied a career high by giving up eight runs in five innings.

“He just kind of was lost, started leaving some pitches in the heart of the plate and they put some really good swings on them,” manager Joe Espada said. “His stuff was really good... just that fifth inning he kind of lost the feel for the zone.”

Rafael Montero took over to start the sixth and was greeted with a homer by Neto to put the Angels up 9-6.

Houston led 6-1 early after a three-run homer by Jose Altuve and a two-run shot from Mauricio Dubón.

Reid Detmers gave up eight hits and six runs in four innings. José Suarez (1-0) struck out one in two scoreless innings for the win.

Along with his home run, Adell also wowed on defense when he robbed Yainer Diaz of a home run for the first out of the ninth inning. Adell jumped to grab the ball just before crashing into the padded wall in right field, causing reliever Carlos Estévez to raise his arms and cheer.

“He’s growing in front of your face,” Washington said. “That was a big-time play and that play right there may have saved the game.”

Estévez gave up an RBI single to Kyle Tucker to cut the lead to 9-7 with two out before walking Yordan Alvarez. But he retired Alex Bregman on a fly out to end it and get his seventh save.

Schanuel and Luis Rengifo both singled to open the first before Schanuel scored on a sacrifice fly by Taylor Ward.

Jeremy Peña led off the bottom of the first with a single and stole second base with one out. The Astros tied it when he scored on a two-out single by Diaz before a single by Dubón.

Altuve sent a high fastball from Detmers into the seats in left field to put Houston on top 4-1.

Diaz doubled with one out in the fourth before the Astros pushed the lead to 6-1 on the homer by Dubón.

Up next

Houston RHP Cristian Javier (3-1, 3.23 ERA) opposes RHP Griffin Canning (2-4, 5.21) when the series continues Tuesday night.