HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Astros know they have to forget about these last three losses quickly.
Especially with a playoff berth still within reach.
Kole Calhoun had a season-high three hits and two RBIs, and the Los Angeles Angels scored nine runs in the final two innings to rally for the second straight game in a 10-4 victory over the Astros on Saturday night.
It was another blow for the Astros, who fell to three games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card.
This loss came after the Angels scored six runs in the ninth inning on Friday night to win 10-6.
“We’ve just got to move on and come out tomorrow and win,” George Springer said. “There’s really no secret. We have to win. They know it. We know it and we’ll see what happens.”
Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and C.J. Cron each added two RBIs for Los Angeles.
The Angels trailed by three entering the eighth before hitting three straight singles with one out to make it 4-2 and chase rookie Chris Devenski.
“It was tough,” Devenski said. “I didn’t go out there and do my job … we just throw it out the door and look forward to tomorrow.”
Luke Gregerson (4-2) took over and was greeted by a soft liner from Trout which dropped for an RBI single to get Los Angeles within one.
A fifth straight single, this one by Pujols, sent home another run to tie it. A wild pitch left Trout at third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Cron to put Los Angeles on top.
“This is really uncharacteristic for this bullpen,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “There’s no other way to explain it.”
The Angels tacked on five runs in an embarrassing ninth for the Astros. The last run in that inning scored when second baseman Jose Altuve made a bad throw for an error to reliever Pat Neshek, who was covering first base, and Neshek tripped over the base and fell face first to the dirt.
Springer had four hits and an RBI and for the Astros, who had won 11 straight over the Angels before this skid.
“This is a tough stretch for us but that’s a good team over there,” Springer said. “You can never count them out. They always play us tough and they have the last three days. But we have to come out tomorrow and it has to happen.”
Houston led by two in the seventh before an RBI triple by Springer. Yuli Gurriel followed with a run-scoring single to make it 4-1 before Los Angeles rallied once again.
Houston starter Brad Peacock allowed one hit and one run while striking out a season-high seven in five innings.
Jhoulys Chacin allowed four hits and two runs - none earned - in six innings in his third start since making four appearances out of the bullpen. Jose Valdez (2-3) gave up two runs in the seventh for the win.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Closer Ken Giles injured his right wrist when he was hit by a line drive during batting practice on Saturday. Trainers ran to the right-hander after he was hit and he remained on his knees on the field for a while before being carted off. X-rays were negative and the team called his injury a bruised right wrist. Giles picked up his fifth blown save this season on Friday night when he gave up six runs in the ninth inning.
UP NEXT
Angels: Rookie Daniel Wright (0-4, 7.48) looks for his first win Sunday. Wright allowed nine hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-4 loss to Texas in his last start.
Astros: Rookie Joe Musgrove (3-4, 4.42) is scheduled to start for Houston. Musgrove didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning of his last start, yielding two hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win over Oakland.
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