ASTROS GAMER: Houston opens West Coast trip with victory

After splitting a six-game homestand, the Houston Astros headed west for a road trip to California as they took on the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN:

Yordan Alvarez got the ball rolling for the Astros in the top of the first with a single to right field. Jeremy Pena followed with a single to left field before Yainer Diaz singled to left to send Alvarez home and give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, Kevin Pillar launched a 411-foot home run off Framber Valdez to tie the game at 1-1.

Good pitching set in as Valdez and Griffin Canning settled in well for six innings. In the seventh, Houston’s offense was effective with a Trey Cabbage single followed by a Jose Altuve single. The Angels changed pitchers and Alex Bregman drew a walk to load the bases on Hunter Strickland’s first at-bat. Alvarez cleared the bases with a three-run double to left field and Diaz had a two-run homer to left field to give Houston a 6-1 lead.

In the eighth, Jose Abreu added to the Astros’ lead with a homer to center field as Houston took a 7–1 lead.

Valdez pitched a complete game to open the series, allowing just four hits and striking out eight Angels en route to a big victory.

BIG NUMBER: 5

The Astros used a five-run seventh inning, including a base-clearing double from Yordan Alvarez, to lead them to a series-opening victory over the Angels on Friday night.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Yainer Diaz

The Astros designated hitter went 3-4 at the plate with a two-run homer on the night and 3 RBIs.

NEXT: The Astros and Angels will meet for Game 2 of the series Saturday night with first pitch scheduled for 9:07. Astro Launch will begin at 8:37 a.m. on ESPN 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles