JUSTIN UPTON drove in the Angels’ first run Thursday with a sacrifice fly in the Halos’ 6-2 loss to the Astros in Anaheim (Angels photo).
Whatever goes up … ah, shucks.
The Los Angeles Angels have followed up two surprising wins over the division-leading Houston Astros with a pair of disappointing losses.
They fell to the Astros 6-2 on Thursday, dropping their record to 50-48. The Halos remain in fourth place in the American League West, 11 games behind the Astros and a full game behind the third place Texas Rangers.
Against Houston on Friday the Orange County team trailed early as the visitors built a 6-0 lead by the fifth inning thanks to a couple of home runs off Angel starter Matt Harvey. The Halos answered back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Justin Upton and an RBI single by Albert Pujols.
The Astros only outhit the Angels 8 to 7, but Houston batted 3 for 6 with runners in scoring position, while the home team was 1 of 9.
On the injury front, Mike Trout was back in the lineup and went 1-for-4, but Pujols left the game with tightness in his left hamstring.
The Angels are now off to Seattle to start a series with the Mariners. Jaime Barria (3-2) will get the start today (Friday) at 7 p.m.