Early power surge guides Astros past Angels

Alex Bregman, Jake Meyers and Kyle Tucker socked home runs to power Houston to a 9-7 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Friday, a win that reduced the Astros' magic number to four to clinch the American League West.

Bregman and Meyers keyed a five-run third inning that lifted Houston (84-70) to a 6-1 lead. Bregman socked his 24th home run to center field, a two-run blast, before Meyers added a three-run shot to left field, his 13th. Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson (10-14) surrendered both homers.

The Astros tacked on a pair of RBI singles in the fourth, with Bregman and Yainer Diaz delivering in succession. Tucker slugged his 21st home run leading off the bottom of the sixth against Angels reliever Roansy Contreras.

Anderson allowed six runs (three earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks over 2 2/3 innings.

Astros closer Josh Hader notched his 33rd save by recording two strikeouts in a perfect ninth.

Houston starter Justin Verlander labored over 4 2/3 innings and jeopardized his spot on the postseason roster should the Astros qualify. He struggled to protect a pair of five-run leads and has failed to produce a quality start in any of his six appearances since his return from the injured list late last month.

Verlander showed early promise, retiring the first seven batters he faced, three via strikeout. But he lost his stride with one out in the third, when Gustavo Campero knocking a triple to right-center before scoring when Jack Lopez hit a game-tying single to left.

The Angels (62-92) sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the fourth, and Verlander scuffled primarily against the bottom of the order. He loaded the bases after Eric Wagaman produced an RBI single that plated Kevin Pillar, with Lopez adding an infield hit that cut the deficit to 6-3.

Despite being armed with an 8-3 lead entering the fifth, Verlander failed to last that frame. He surrendered back-to-back singles to Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel to open the inning, and with two outs, allowed an RBI double to Wagaman. Schanuel and Wagaman scored when Matt Thaiss greeted Astros reliever Bryan King with a two-run single that pulled the Angels to within 8-6.

Hector Neris (10-5) pitched 1 1/3 innings of one-run ball for the win.

Verlander is 1-4 with an 8.89 ERA over his past six starts. He has 18 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings during that span.

--Field Level Media