Yordan Alvarez hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the fifth inning on Saturday night for the Houston Astros, who beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 in Anaheim, Calif., in the second game of a three-game series between the American League West rivals.
Justin Verlander tossed five innings to earn his first win in over three months for the division-leading Astros (80-68), who have won the first two games of the series. Houston remained 4 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Seattle Mariners in the AL West.
The Angels (60-88), who are trying to avoid finishing last in the AL West for the first time since 1999, have lost four straight.
Verlander (4-6) allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out two to win for the first time since May 24. The 41-year-old missed more than two months with a neck injury and was 0-4 with a 9.68 ERA in four starts since returning to the rotation on Aug. 21.
Verlander was staked to a lead when Jose Altuve scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first, but Nolan Schanuel tied the game with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning. Eric Wagaman later gave the Angels the lead with his first career hit, a run-scoring double in the fourth.
The Astros wasted little time retaking the lead against Los Angeles starter Tyler Anderson (10-13), who allowed a leadoff single to Altuve in the fifth before Alvarez’s homer to right. Jeremy Pena singled with two outs, stole second and scored on Victor Caratini’s single to put Houston up 4-2.
Verlander, Hector Neris and Kaleb Ort combined to set down the next nine batters before the Angels nearly tied the game in the eighth. Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out against Tayler Scott, then Logan O’Hoppe greeted reliever Ryan Pressly with an RBI single to center. Jake Meyers, who almost made a sliding catch, sprung up and fired home to nab Schanuel, who was trying to score the tying run.
Kyle Tucker added a pinch-hit solo shot in the ninth before Pressly completed a five-out save.
Anderson gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings.