Tucker's big game helps push Astros to win over Angels

HOUSTON (AP) — Kyle Tucker had four hits, including a home run, and Jake Meyers and Alex Bregman both hit home runs while combining for six RBIs to help the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-7 on Friday night.

The victory dropped Houston’s magic number to clinch the AL West to four.

Bregman’s two-run shot put the Astros up 3-1 in the third. Meyers stretched the lead to 6-1 with his three-run home run with two outs in the inning.

The Angels scored three runs in the fifth to get within 8-6 before Tucker’s solo shot to the bullpen in right-center made it 9-6 in the sixth. He went 4 for 5 to tie a career high in hits.

It was Tucker's 12th game back after missing more than three months with a small fracture in his right shin.

“He had some really good at-bats,” manager Joe Espada said. “He’s on the ball. Just the quality of at-bats looks like his timing is coming.”

Kevin Pillar, who was reinstated from the injured list Friday, hit a solo homer in the seventh inning for the Angels but Houston's bullpen shut Los Angeles down the rest of the way.

Justin Verlander gave up eight hits and six runs in 4 2/3 innings. It’s the third time in four starts where the three-time Cy Young Award winner has allowed eight hits and at least five runs.

He said postgame that he thinks he rushed back from a neck injury that kept him out almost two months this summer.

“I think I came back from the neck injury a little fast,” he said. “Obviously I know the schedule, I know the calendar and I want to be an asset for this team and to do that I need to be able to pitch and find out where I’m at. Obviously, the results have not been good, but there’s nothing you can do besides trying to pitch.”

Hector Neris (10-5) allowed three hits and a run in 1 1/3 innings for the win and Josh Hader pitched a scoreless ninth for his 33rd save.

The Astros jumped on Tyler Anderson (10-14) for eight hits and six runs — three earned — in just 2 2/3 innings, his shortest start this season.

Matt Thaiss, who snapped an 0 for 34 skid with a single in the fourth, had two hits and drove in two runs for Los Angeles and Eric Wagaman added three hits and two RBIs.

Manager Ron Washington was impressed by the contributions from the bottom of his lineup Friday night.

“We needed everything they did and they played hard,” he said. “We just came up short.”

The Astros led 1-0 after a sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón with one out in the second.

Angels rookie Gustavo Campero hit his first career triple with one out in the third inning. He scored on a single by Jack López that tied it at 1-1.

Pillar walked with one out in the fourth and stole second base with two outs. Wagaman’s single to right field scored him to cut the lead to 6-2. Thaiss then singled to get his first hit since Aug. 22. Verlander plunked Campero to load the bases and López singled to make it 6-3.

Bregman and Diaz hit RBI singles in the fourth to push the lead to 8-3.

The Angels had runners on first and third with no outs in the fifth when Bregman saved a run with a leaping catch on a liner hit by Pillar. Wagaman hit an RBI double with two outs in the inning to get Los Angeles within 8-4 and chase Verlander.

Bryan King took over and Thaiss singled to center field to scored two more and cut the lead to 8-6.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: INF Charles Leblanc was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room for Pillar on the roster.

UP NEXT

Houston RHP Ronel Blanco (11-6, 2.88 ERA) opposes LHP Reid Detmers (4-7, 6.05) when the series continues Saturday night.

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AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB