Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer and Yusei Kikuchi earned the win by tossing seven solid innings Friday night for the visiting Houston Astros, who beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 in the opener of a three-game series.
Yordan Alvarez had two RBIs and homered leading off the ninth for the Astros (79-68), who improved to 5-6 this month. Houston, the three-time defending American League West champion, entered Friday with a 4 1/2-game lead over the second-place Seattle Mariners.
The win was the 5,000th in franchise history for the Astros.
Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel had RBIs in the third inning and Mickey Moniak homered in the fourth for the Angels (60-87), who have lost three straight.
Kikuchi (9-9) allowed three runs on three hits and two walks while striking out six. He has won his last three starts and is 5-0 with a 3.19 ERA in eight starts for the Astros since being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on July 29.
Kikuchi, Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader combined to retire the final 16 Angels. Hader recorded his 30th save by striking out two during a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Astros scored twice in the second and third against Angels rookie Samuel Aldegheri (1-2). Victor Caratini and Jake Meyers singled with one out in the second before Maurico Dubon worked a walk. Jose Altuve followed with another walk before Alvarez lofted a sacrifice fly.
Aldegheri didn’t record an out in the third, when Kyle Tucker singled before Bregman’s blast. Jeremy Pena doubled and Caratini chased the rookie by drawing a five-pitch walk.
Aldegheri, making his third career start, allowed the four runs on six hits and five walks while failing to record a strikeout.
Bregman, Pena, Caratini, Dubon and Yainer Diaz all had two hits apiece.
Schanuel had two hits for the Angels, including an RBI single in the third.