Angels 4, Astros 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Home runs by Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton and a grind-it-out performance by starting pitcher C.J. Wilson led the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium.
Trout's home run in the third inning gave the Angels a 2-1 lead that remained until Hamilton's two-run homer in the eighth inning gave the Angels' much-maligned bullpen a little breathing room.
Ernesto Frieri, the third of three Angels' relievers in the game, pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to earn his second save. He struck out the side in the ninth.
Wilson seemed to labor throughout, throwing 115 pitches in six innings. But he was effective, holding the Astros to one run and five hits to get his first victory of the season. Sean Burnett and Scott Downs pitched in relief, setting up Frieri.
Coming on the heels of Saturday's walk-off win, the Angels have won two in a row, the first time all season they've put together back-to-back wins.
The Astros' only run of the game came in the second inning when Ronny Cedeno doubled and scored on Matt Dominguez's double. The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Trout doubled and scored on Hamilton's infield single.
The Angels took a lead against Astros starter Philip Humber after Trout legged out a double on what would normally be a routine single to left. He moved to third when Albert Pujols grounded out and scored on Hamilton's infield single for a 1-0 lead.
NOTES: Trout was off to a slow start this season, hitting .245 with no homers, one RBI and 12 strikeouts going into Sunday's game. He has hit a lot of weak grounders to the left side of the infield, a result of being jammed by inside pitches. "They're pitching me in, and some of those balls I'm a little late," Trout said. "It's nothing you can't fix. I feel great up there." He seemed to make the fixes Sunday, getting a double in his first at-bat and his first home run of the season in his second at-bat. ... Angels right-hander Michael Roth posted the victory in his major-league debut on Friday night with two scoreless innings of relief. He was called up that day from Class AA Arkansas to replace injured Kevin Jepsen in the bullpen. Roth was a team captain on University of South Carolina's College World Series championship team in 2011. ... Angels right-hander Ryan Madson, recovering from Tommy John surgery, threw a bullpen session Sunday at 100 percent and continues to make progress, but there is still no timetable for his return. ... Astros right-hander John Ely is expected to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Ely, acquired in an off-season trade with the Dodgers, began spring training as a candidate for the starting rotation but began the season at Class AAA Oklahoma City. ... Astros outfielder Fernando Martinez (strained oblique) began a rehab assignment Sunday for Oklahoma City. If all goes well, Martinez, who was hurt late in spring training, could be activated for the series against the Cleveland Indians next weekend in Houston.
