The Houston Astros needed to get back on the winning track Monday night as they returned home to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and with their Cy Young candidate Dallas Keuchel and his beard on the hill, they were in good hands.
While Keuchel was doing his job on the hill, the Astros jumped all over the Angels and Jered Weaver early on. It all started when lumberjack man Evan Gattis and his beard clubbed a two-run home run in the second inning to put Houston up 2-0 in the second inning.
They then extended their lead in the third when Carlos Correa went blast off with an opposite field two-run home run to right field to extend their lead to 4-0. Later, in the fifth inning, George Springer kept up his hot streak with an RBI single scoring Jake Marisnick and up 5-0, that seemed like all the Astros needed in this one.
Weaver's final line for the Angels wasn't his best as his tough season continued. He lasted 5.2 innings giving up five runs on nine hits while striking out five and walking two.
As for the Angels offense, they were quieted until the sixth when Albert Pujols forced in a run when he grounded out to short in the sixth inning.
The Astros weren't done yet, however. Carlos Correa came up with another clutch hit as he added on to the Astros lead with an RBI double scoring Jose Altuve to make the score 6-1.
The one run in the sixth inning was all the Angels could scrape across against Dallas Keuchel. He lasted 7.2 innings giving up one run on six hits while striking out six and walking one. It was another game to add to his banner season that could end with a Cy Young award. He also tied Felix Hernandez with 18 wins, most in the American League.
It seemed to be all wrapped up for Houston entering the ninth, but the Angels weren't going away.
Reliever Josh Fields came in with a five run cushion but couldn't shut the door. David Murphy started the comeback attempt for the Angels with an RBI single scoring David Freese. That was followed by a close play at the plate as Murphy slid under the tag at home plate after Collin Cowgill knocked a single to right field which made the score 6-3.
That forced Astros manager AJ Hinch to turn to his closer in Luke Gregerson and he was able to shut the door as he got the tying run in Erick Aybar to ground out to second base to end the ballgame.
Houston pounded out 11 total hits led by Correa and Springer with three each and Altuve who tallied two knocks in this one. As for the Angels, Mike Trout and Erick Aybar both had two hits in this one as the team tallied nine total.
With Monday night's win, the Astros gained half a game back in the AL West with the Rangers having an off day and now sit just one game behind Texas for first place. The Angels seem to be running out of time as they now sit 3.5 games out of the Wild Card and 4.5 games out of the AL West.
The series continues Tuesday night in Houston as the Astros will send Lance McCullers to the hill to be opposed by Angels starter Hector Santiago.
WP: Dallas Keuchel (18-8, 2.51 ERA)
LP: Jered Weaver (7-12, 4.86 ERA)
SV: Luke Gregerson (28 saves, 2.86 ERA)