Tyler Anderson leads Angels to series victory in Houston – Orange County Register

Angels starting pitcher Tyler Anderson throws during the first inning against the Astros, Wednesday, May 22, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

HOUSTON – Tyler Anderson gave the Angels exactly what they needed.

The left-hander pitched eight innings in a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday, leading them to a second straight series victory on this trip through Texas.

The bad news was that shortstop Zach Neto left the game with right elbow soreness. Neto threw a high pitch in the fifth inning, then left the game. There was no immediate information on the severity of the injury.

Kyren Paris, who moved from second to short after Neto’s exit, had provided the Angels with their only offense at that point. Paris unleashed a two-run homer – the first of his career – at the start of the inning.

Right-hander Luis Garcia, pitching for the fourth time in five days, got the call for the final inning and picked up the save.

Without much offense and with a bullpen that had been strained, the Angels needed as many quality innings from Anderson as possible.

Anderson has pitched at least seven innings in five of his 10 starts, compiling a 2.52 ERA. He is the first Angels pitcher this season to complete eight innings.

He needed just 95 pitches to maneuver the Astros’ dangerous lineup, striking out four and walking two.

Anderson allowed just one hit and one walk in 12 plate appearances against Jose Altuve, Kyle Tucker, Yordan Alvarez and Alex Bregman. The hit was a double by Alvarez in the first inning that could have been caught by left fielder Taylor Ward.

In the eighth, just after Anderson walked Tucker to put the tying run on base, manager Ron Washington came to the mound to talk to Anderson, who then struck out Alvarez and Bregman to escape the inning.

Anderson had more problems with the bottom half of the order.