ALBERT PUJOLS hit his 601st career home run Sunday in the Angels’ 12-6 win over Houston (Flickr/Keith Allison photo).

Although the rest of baseball is getting run over by the Houston Astros, the Los Angeles Angels are – at least lately – holding their own. With their 12-6 win on Sunday, the Halos took two of three from the MLB’s best team as they head home for a welcome seven-game homestand starting on Monday.

The key blow was a three-run home run by Eric Young, Jr. the overachieving replacement for the injured Mike Trout. Young, whose blast in the top of the fifth broke a 6-6 deadlock, went 2- for-4 with four RBIs and raised his batting average to .315.

“It’s huge,” Young said. “I’m thankful my name is in the lineup. I just want to try to take advantage of every opportunity, wherever it may be.”

Sunday’s win also raised the Angels back to .500 at 33-33 and into second place in the American League West, one game ahead of Seattle and 12 games back of the Astros. In the AL wild card race, the Halos are only one game back.

The Astros chased Jesse Chavez early and led 6-3 until the Angels erupted for six runs in the fifth, capped by Young’s homer. The Orange County team added three more insurance runs later to ice the game. The win went to Keynan Middleton, who pitched one hitless inning.

On the night, in addition to Young’s heroics, Albert Pujols hit his 10th homer of the year (601st of his career) and Kole Calhoun went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a walk and a run scored. Andrelton Simmons was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run.

On Monday the Angels will open a three-game series in Anaheim with the AL East-leading New York Yankees (37-23) with Alex Meyer (2-3) making the start for the home team.