First-place Astros move over .500 again entering finale vs. Angels

The American League West has been like a hot potato this past month, with three teams juggling the lead.

The potato now is in the hands of the Houston Astros, who moved back above .500 with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

That squared the three-game series and set the stage for the rubber match on Thursday night in Houston.

Despite Wednesday's win, the Astros continue to scuffle offensively. Houston has scored three or fewer runs seven times over its past 11 games and improved to a modest 5-6 in that stretch. The Astros are 8-8 in August and lead second-place Texas by two games in the division.

"It happens when there are people on base facing a tough pitcher," manager Joe Espada said of the scoring lull. "You can get away from who you are and your identity.

"Just reminding the guys this is who we are. Let the game come to us; let's control the at-bats. Let's stay calm. We don't all have to get all the runs at once."

The Astros finished 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position on Wednesday after generating only one such at-bat in the series opener, a 3-1 win for the Angels on Tuesday.

Houston has stranded nine runners in the series.

Astros shortstop and leadoff hitter Jeremy Pena was hit by a pitch while striking out in the first inning on Wednesday. He departed in the fourth with a right hand contusion.

Right-hander Peter Lambert (8-6, 3.11 ERA) will start for the Astros on Thursday. Winless in his past six starts, Lambert did not factor into the decision of a 10-7, 10-inning win over the Seattle Mariners on Friday after allowing two runs on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts over five innings.

That victory put the Astros three games over .500 before they lost three consecutive games.

Lambert is 0-1 with a 3.03 ERA and 36 strikeouts in his last six starts. He is 0-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against the Angels. He has a 3.18 ERA in two starts against the Angels this season, with 12 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings.

Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (3-5, 7.17 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Angels. He was not part of the decision in a 7-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals last Friday after allowing three runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over four innings.

In five road starts this season, Rodriguez is 2-2 with a 4.97 ERA and 22 strikeouts across 25 1/3 innings.

Rodriguez is 0-1 with a 5.48 ERA in four career starts against the Astros. In two starts against them this season, both Angels losses, he did not record a decision and compiled a 3.48 ERA.

Even in defeat on Wednesday, the Angels extended their recent run of stellar pitching. They entered Wednesday leading the American League with a 2.00 ERA and pacing the majors with an 0.89 WHIP since Tim Leveque was named interim pitching coach and Michael Wuertz interim bullpen coach on Aug. 11. It marked just the second time in eight games that the Angels allowed more than two runs.

"What we're focusing on now is emphasizing pitcher strengths, emphasizing attacking those strengths and seeing what happens," Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. "Now just try to simplify things with a younger group. A lot of them are very new to the big leagues, and focusing on what they do well (is our goal)."

--Field Level Media