Tyler Anderson flirted with a no-hitter and got support from home runs by Nolan Schanuel and Taylor Ward as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night, despite a bizarre fan interference moment involving Mike Trout.
Anderson (1-0) held the Astros hitless through 5 2/3 innings before Yordan Alvarez broke it up with a two-out double in the sixth. Anderson was pulled after walking Christian Walker, finishing with one hit allowed, four walks, and six strikeouts.
Kenley Jansen worked a clean ninth inning to secure his fourth save of the year.
The Angels got on the board early, taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning on Mike Trout’s two-run single off Astros rookie starter Ryan Gusto (1-1), who gave up three runs on four hits over four innings in his MLB starting debut.
Schanuel added a solo homer in the fourth, and Ward launched one of his own in the fifth to extend the lead.
Unusual Interference
The game took a strange turn in the second inning when Trout appeared to make a leaping catch in the right-field stands on a fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz. However, an Astros fan reached into Trout’s glove and pulled the ball out. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball, saying Trout’s glove had entered the stands, making the play fair game for fans. Though the Angels had the option to challenge, they opted not to. Security later escorted the fan and his child from the section.
Key Moment
Anderson walked the bases loaded with one out in the fourth, but kept his composure by striking out Jeremy Peña and inducing a lineout from Diaz to preserve the lead.
Key Stat
The trio of Ward, Rengifo, and Trout combined to go 5-for-13 with three runs scored and three RBIs, powering the Angels’ offense.
Up Next
The series finale is set for Sunday, with Houston sending RHP Hayden Wesneski to the mound against Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks.
