Yainer Diaz homers in his 4th straight game, Framber Valdez throws a 4-hitter, Astros top Halos 7-1

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Yainer Diaz homered in his fourth consecutive game and drove in three runs, and Framber Valdez pitched a four-hitter in the Houston Astros’ 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.

Yordan Alvarez hit a tiebreaking three-run double in the five-run seventh inning by the Astros, who opened a weekend series at the Big A with their fifth win in eight games.

Diaz connected for a two-run shot moments after Alvarez put Houston ahead, giving him nine RBIs in the past four games. Diaz homered in every game of the Astros’ series against St. Louis earlier this week, and his blast to left off the Angels’ Hunter Strickland was his seventh of the season.

Before this week’s power surge, Diaz had just one homer in his previous 51 games, and none in 39 games since April 11. He hit 23 homers last season in his first full big league campaign.

Valdez (5-3) struck out eight and issued his only walk in the ninth inning of his seventh complete game and his first since his no-hitter last August. Valdez frequently dominates the Angels, including three career outings with at least 12 strikeouts along with five victories in eight career starts at Angel Stadium.

José Abreu also homered in the eighth for Houston.

Kevin Pillar homered for the Angels, whose three-game winning streak ended just short of matching their longest run of the season.

Griffin Canning (2-6) allowed three runs on seven hits while pitching into the seventh inning.

Houston only got two runners past first base in the first six innings, but Trey Cabbage and José Altuve singled to chase Canning in the seventh. Alvarez then put a long double in the gap off Strickland moments after Alex Bregman drew a walk.

Pillar tied it on the first pitch of the second inning, blasting it 411 feet for his seventh homer of the season and his sixth in 24 games with the Angels.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: OF Kyle Tucker went on the 10-day injured list with a bruised right shin after fouling a ball off his leg Monday against St. Louis. The move is retroactive to Tuesday. … Starting pitchers Cristian Javier and Jose Urquidy both had Tommy John surgery earlier this week, the team disclosed. They’re both done for the season.

Angels: Anthony Rendon took grounders at third base pregame in his gradual return to baseball activities. The $245 million third baseman has been out since April 20 with a hamstring injury.

UP NEXT

Los Angeles’ Tyler Anderson (5-5, 2.37) has allowed exactly one run in each of his past four starts, posting a 1.35 ERA. He faces Hunter Brown (1-5, 6.18), who pitched six solid innings in a 2-1 loss to the Angels last month.

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