HOUSTON (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels have relied on home runs to power their offense early this season and are tied with Atlanta for most in the majors with 16.
But on Tuesday night they put together a decisive win over the Houston Astros without putting any balls out of the park.
Jo Adell tied a career-high with three hits, and Kurt Suzuki and Brandon Marsh drove in two runs each as the Angels used a big fifth inning to break open the game and cruise to the 7-2 victory.
“We passed the torch up and down the lineup,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Good at-bats everywhere and ran the bases hard again. Again, another team victory as I saw it.”
Both teams were missing stars. Los Angeles center fielder Mike Trout was sidelined for a second game with a bruised left hand and Houston second baseman Jose Altuve out after straining his left hamstring Monday.
But the Angels got third baseman Anthony Rendon back after he sat out of Monday’s game because of a stomach bug. He had two hits to help Los Angeles rebound after an 8-3 loss in the series opener.
The team tied a season-high with 13 hits Tuesday.
“Our offense is really strong,” Adell said. “I think guys are understanding their game and how they can help and we’re taking team at-bats and that’s pretty much what it comes down to.”
The Angels led by one run when Taylor Ward and Rendon singled with one out in the fifth, and Ward took third on right fielder Kyle Tucker’s fielding error.
Matt Duffy singled into shallow right field to score Ward and extend the lead to 3-1. An RBI single by Jack Mayfield on a grounder to left made it 4-1 and chased starter Framber Valdez (1-1).
Bryan Abreu took over and was greeted by a two-run double from Suzuki. Marsh’s two-out single sent another…