Jose Altuve hit a two-run homer and drove in three runs overall, while Luis Garcia made a strong return to the mound after more than two years away, as the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 on Monday night at Minute Maid Park.
Garcia (1-0) earned the win in his first appearance since May 2023, pitching six innings and allowing three runs on three hits with six strikeouts. The right-hander had been sidelined while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He showed sharp command in his comeback, retiring the first nine Angels hitters before running into trouble in the fourth.
The Angels briefly took the lead in that inning. Zach Neto broke up Garcia’s perfect start with a leadoff solo homer, his 23rd of the season. Mike Trout singled and Jo Adell followed by driving his 31st home run of the year into the left-field seats, giving Los Angeles a 3-2 advantage.
Houston had struck first in the second inning when Altuve singled home a run, and Ramón Urías extended the lead to 2-0 with a solo homer in the third. After the Angels’ three-run fourth, Houston responded quickly. Yordan Alvarez singled in the fifth and scored on Carlos Correa’s RBI single, putting the Astros back on top 4-3.
That advantage grew in the sixth. Rookie Cam Smith singled with two outs and stole second base before Mauricio Dubón drew a walk. Jeremy Peña then ripped his second double of the game, scoring Smith to make it 5-3.
Houston added insurance in the late innings. Alvarez delivered an RBI single in the eighth, followed by Altuve’s two-run shot off reliever Hunter Strickland. The homer, Altuve’s 19th of the season, pushed the lead to 8-3 and effectively sealed the outcome.
Yusei Kikuchi (6-10) was tagged with the loss. The Angels’ left-hander gave up eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out four while walking one. Houston’s victory improved its record to 18-9 this year in games started by left-handed pitchers, highlighting a consistent edge in those matchups.
The Astros’ lineup was efficient throughout, collecting 11 hits. Altuve finished with three RBIs, while Alvarez contributed two hits and drove in a run. Correa added two hits and an RBI, continuing his steady production since returning from injury earlier this season.
The Angels, who entered with a modest two-game winning streak, saw their momentum halted as their offense stalled after the early surge. Aside from the homers by Neto and Adell, Los Angeles managed just one other hit against Houston pitching.
Betting markets listed the Astros as -170 favorites at home, with the Angels entering as +145 underdogs. The over/under was set at 9 runs, and the game finished just under that total at eight.
The Angels will continue their road trip Tuesday night in Kansas City, though they have yet to announce a starting pitcher. The Astros, meanwhile, open a series against the New York Yankees, sending left-hander Framber Valdez (12-7, 3.18 ERA) to the mound opposite New York’s Max Fried (14-5, 3.06 ERA).
