Major League Baseball

Correa's HR in 13th puts Astros past Angels 8-6

Published May. 29, 2016 10:32 p.m. ET

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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Carlos Correa was supposed to take a relaxing Sunday off until his Houston Astros got wrapped up in a 13-inning divisional duel with the Los Angeles Angels.

When manager A.J. Hinch finally ran out of reasons to keep his star shortstop on the bench, Correa delivered one of the biggest homers of his young career as a pinch hitter.

''Best day off ever,'' he said.

Correa hit a three-run shot in the 13th inning of an 8-6 victory over the Angels, sending Houston to its fifth win in six games.

Tyler White and Marwin Gonzalez singled before Correa put his eighth homer of the season into the bullpens beyond left field. He connected on a hanging changeup from Mike Morin (1-1).

''I wanted to stay away from him,'' Hinch said. ''But a hit like that in an at-bat like that could do wonders for him down the road.''

Hinch wanted Correa to get just his second day off of a sophomore season that hasn't been as prolific as his impressive Rookie of the Year campaign. Instead, Correa got a run-scoring hit in the 13th inning for the second time in six games, following up his game-ending single against Baltimore on Tuesday.

''I've had success against him, specifically with my changeup,'' Morin said. ''It's unfortunate that it wasn't my best pitch, but I didn't get beat on my best pitch.''

Albert Pujols had three hits for the Angels, who blew an eighth-inning lead and stranded 14 runners while losing for the fourth time in five games.

They took a 5-4 lead in the seventh on Pujols' tying RBI single and Mike Trout's go-ahead run on Johnny Giavotella's safety squeeze bunt.

But Evan Gattis then doubled and scored on Luis Valbuena's single in the eighth for Houston.

Luke Gregerson walked Kole Calhoun and gave up Pujols' two-out double in the 13th. Calhoun scored on a wild pitch, but Gregerson struck out Giavotella to earn his 12th save.

Giavotella struck out three times in the final five innings with seven total runners on base.

''Johnny is one of our guys,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ''He's going to put the ball in play there (most times). He had three opportunities this afternoon and couldn't put the ball in play. That's not like Johnny.''

Michael Feliz (3-1) pitched the 12th for Houston.

Jake Marisnick hit his first homer of the season during the Astros' three-run fifth inning. Jose Altuve had four hits for Houston.

''The boys definitely sold out today,'' starter Doug Fister said. ''They did what they needed to do. It's a good thing for us to get on a roll. Guys are playing with a lot of heart.''

NEAR MISSES

Los Angeles nearly ended it in the ninth against dominant Astros reliever Will Harris when Trout walked and Pujols singled. Both stars got into scoring position before Rafael Ortega grounded out.

Calhoun had a one-out triple in the 11th, and Pat Neshek walked Trout and Pujols to load the bases. Both Giavotella and Ortega couldn't drive in a run.

''That's probably the only time I've ever been excited that somebody hit a triple and not a single or a double,'' Hinch said. ''It got me through the heart of the order.''

FOR STARTERS

Fister yielded five hits and just one earned run over six innings, but his bullpen deprived him of his fourth victory in May. The Astros still won all six of his starts this month.

Angels right-hander Nick Tropeano gave up seven hits and walked five while pitching into the sixth.

ESCOBAR OUT

Angels third baseman Yunel Escobar left in the third inning with a bruised left wrist after getting hurt while attempting to field Gonzalez's hot grounder. Los Angeles has been beset by injuries this season, including the loss of shortstop Andrelton Simmons earlier this month for several weeks.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: OF Carlos Gomez probably will rejoin Houston next week after five rehab games for his bruised rib cage.

Angels: SS Cliff Pennington went 2 for 5 in his first game since May 12 after missing 14 games with a strained left hamstring.

UP NEXT

Astros: Collin McHugh (4-4, 5.13 ERA) takes the mound in Phoenix when Houston opens a two-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.

Angels: Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 4.67 ERA with Los Angeles) makes his fourth Angels start in the home series opener against Detroit on Monday night.

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