Astros rally with 3 runs in 9th to beat Angels 3-2

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Houston Astros came into town with a five-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West, and a chance to put some more separation between themselves and the defending division champs in this four-game series.

The Astros trailed by two runs in the ninth inning against Angels closer Huston Street, but rallied to pull out a 3-2 victory on Thursday night.

And in the middle of it all was Preston Tucker, a 24-year-old outfielder who punctuated his big league debut with a tying RBI single for his first hit after his contract was selected from Triple-A Fresno earlier in the day.

''It's pretty exciting, especially when we're out there trying to win a ballgame,'' said Tucker, who was leading the minor leagues with 10 homers and 32 RBIs.

For the second straight night, Street (2-1) blew a lead in the ninth after converting his first nine save opportunities of the season. The right-hander, trying to protect a 2-0 lead for Hector Santiago, allowed consecutive RBI singles by Jake Marisnick and Tucker.

''I wasn't trying to think about the situation. I was just trying to be aggressive and put the barrel on the ball,'' Tucker said. ''I was just trying to have a good approach. ... I was looking for a fastball, but I got a changeup. I was out in front of it, but I got enough on it to get it through the hole and it worked out in my favor.''

After a walk to No. 9 hitter Jonathan Villar loaded the bases, Jose Altuve beat the relay from shortstop Erick Aybar on a potential inning-ending double-play grounder to second base as Marisnick scored the go-ahead run.

''It's only two nights, so it's super easy to put it behind me,'' Street said. ''I mean, I don't get excited when I save 20 in a row - which I've done a number of times - and I don't get frustrated if I blow two in a row, which I haven't done very often.''

Pat Neshek (3-0) pitched two-thirds of an inning and Luke Gregerson got the last three outs for his seventh save in eight chances.

Santiago allowed one hit over 6 1-3 innings, struck out five and walked four.

Altuve, the reigning AL batting champ, opened the game with a single to left field - but the Astros did not get another hit until Villar led off the eighth with a single against Joe Smith.

''Hector absolutely deserved to get that win, and that's where you feel the most frustrated,'' Street said. ''I told him: `Hey, I'm sorry, man.'''

The defending AL West champion Angels, coming off consecutive walkoff wins against the Seattle Mariners, got a first-inning home run from Mike Trout and an eighth-inning RBI single from Kole Calhoun.

Santiago was charged with balks in the third and fourth innings, but escaped each jam unscathed. Prior to this outing, he had committed three balks in 380 2-3 innings in the big leagues.

Collin McHugh was charged with two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings, but his string of 11 consecutive winning decisions remained intact. McHugh got all seven of his strikeouts through the first six innings, and his 71 pitches were still 30 fewer than Santiago had to that point.

Santiago faced one more batter, striking out Jason Castro to open the seventh, and Smith stranded the potential tying run at third base in the eighth by striking out Evan Gattis.

The Angels' inning in the eighth ended - just as last Saturday's loss at San Francisco did - when Albert Pujols' hard-hit ball struck Chris Iannetta between second and third base. Pujols was credited with a single.

Marisnick, the Astros' center fielder, had a rare unassisted double play to end the bottom of the fourth inning after Pujols singled and lost track of the outs. He was almost at third base on a shallow flyball by Matt Joyce when Marisnick raced in to catch the ball and continued all the way to first instead of throwing it to Chris Carter.

''I saw him rounding the base, so I just kept jogging in and figured I might as well just touch first base and eliminate the possibility of throwing it away,'' Marisnick said.

Altuve, a two-time All-Star second baseman, started a slick inning-ending double play in the Angels' fifth when he went behind the bag to glove Giavotella's grounder and made a backhanded flip to Villar in the same motion.

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Astros: Tucker got his opportunity after OF George Springer went on the seven-day concussion DL in Wednesday. Tucker started in left field and was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Angels: Acquired INF Ryan Jackson from Kansas City in a trade that sent backup C Drew Butera to the defending AL champion Royals.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Roberto Hernandez (1-2) is 0-4 with a 2.47 ERA lifetime against the Angels.

Angels: RHP Jered Weaver is 0-4 with a 6.29 ERA in six starts - including a six-inning no-decision at Houston on April 17 - this season.