The tightest race is Major League Baseball is in the American League West, where the Houston Astros (56-45) moved into a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Angels (55-44) Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park. 

Jose Altuve had three hits and drove in five runs in the Astros'  10-5 win. Altuve tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the second with a single that scored Hank Conger. In the fourth, he singled home Conger and Jake Marisnick with Marisnick scoring from first while Altuve, seeing himself out at second, got into a rundown between first and second.

In the sixth, Altuve doubled home Colby Rasmus and Marisnick on a long drive just to the right of the Crawford Boxes to put the Astros ahead 9-5. 

Altuve is now hitting .305 with 9 HR, 48 RBI, and 28 SB.

Los Angeles jumped out to an early 4-1 lead with two runs in each of the first two innings. Conor Gillaspie (double) and Erick Aybar (groundout) drove in runs in the first; Gillaspie and Albert Puljos then had RBI singles in the second.

With the game tied at 4, the Angels scored their final run on Chris Iannetta's solo home run (8) in the third. That blast temporarily gave the Angels a 5-4 lead until Altuve came to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

Houston's rookie sensation Carlos Correa homered (9) in the bottom of the first to put the Astros on the board. Chris Carter then cut into the Angels' 4-1 lead with a second-inning two-run shot (17), and Altuve took over from there.

Rasmus (double) and Evan Gattis (triple) each drove in sixth-inning runs. Gattis's triple made it 10-5, which ended up the final score. Gattis now has seven triples on the season.

Collin McHugh (W: 12-5, 4.43 ERA) overcame a rough start to pitch five total innings and keep his team in the game. He allowed five earned runs on seven hits (one home run, Iannetta) while walking four and striking out three. Four Astros relievers each pitched a scoreless inning, allowing just two hits combined.

C.J. Wilson (L: 8-8, 3.89) lasted only four innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits, including two home runs (Correa, Carter). He walked three and struck out three. Mike Morin allowed four runs in one inning of relief.

On Wednesday, the Angels will send Garrett Richards (10-7, 3.25) to the mound to battle Houston's Lance McCullers (4-3, 2.60). The winning team will take sole possession of first place in the division and guarantee itself at least a share of the lead when the series ends Thursday night.