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Javier fans career-high 14 to lead Astros over Angels 8-1

Fri, Jul 1, 2022
MLB News (AP)

HOUSTON (AP) - Cristian Javier pitched another gem, striking out a career-best 14 while allowing just one hit in seven innings to lead the Houston Astros to an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

The 25-year-old was brilliant in his first start since striking out 13 in seven innings of a combined no-hitter against the Yankees on Saturday. Shohei Ohtani was the only Angels baserunner Javier permitted, hitting a homer with two outs in the first.

Javier (6-3) sailed through the rest of his outing, retiring the next 19 batters before leaving to a standing ovation after seven innings. He got an assist from his defense when Chas McCormick made a leaping catch just in front of the wall in left field for the first out of the sixth to rob Andrew Velazquez of a hit.

A pair of relievers completed the combined two-hitter, and Houston pitchers struck out a total of 16.

Yuli Gurriel, Jake Meyers and McCormick all homered for the Astros as they jumped on Angels starter Michael Lorenzen (6-6) for eight runs in just three innings and cruised to their fourth straight victory.

Ohtani gave the Angels an early lead with his home run before the Astros got going.

They evened the score when Gurriel homered to left-center to start the Houston second. There was one out in the inning when Meyers hit his first home run this season into the seats in right field to put Houston up 2-1.

Houston scored six times in the third. Jeremy Pena led off the third by reaching on third baseman Tyler Wade's error, Kyle Tucker followed with a single and Alex Bregman hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

Gurriel walked, J.J. Matijevic doubled, Meyers followed with an RBI single and McCormick homered to extend the lead to 8-1.

Pena returned after missing Thursday's game following a nasty outfield collision with Yordan Alvarez on Wednesday, but Alvarez remained out.

Lorenzen allowed eight hits in his third straight loss.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Houston manager Dusty Baker said Alvarez was feeling better Friday but wasn't ready to return and listed his status as day-to-day. ... C Jason Castro was placed on the 10-day injured list with left knee discomfort Friday and Houston's No. 2 prospect C Korey Lee was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land to take his spot on the roster. Lee made his major league debut as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and was retired on a pop fly.

SUSPENSION MENTIONS

Angels catching coach Bill Haselman will be the team's acting interim manager on Sunday and Tuesday while acting interim manager Ray Montgomery and interim manager Phil Nevin serve their suspensions for last week's bench-clearing brawl with the Mariners. RHP Ryan Tepera appealed his suspension from the altercation and had it reduced from three games to two and began serving it Friday night.

UP NEXT

Houston's Jose Urquidy (6-3, 4.36 ERA) opposes left-hander Patrick Sandoval (3-2, 2.63) when the series continues Saturday.

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