Friday evening, the Astros of Houston visited to continue their good fortune against the Los Angeles Angels when the teams open a series of three games in Anaheim, California.
The Astros have won seven of their last nine games in total this season and 18 of their last 26 against the angels since the beginning of 2023.
Although he fell into athletics 6-4 in 10 rounds Thursday evening, first place Houston has a five-game advance on the Seattle Mariners and an advantage of 6 1/2 match in Los Angeles in the American League West.
Help Key another winning season for Astros was a pitch staff who have a 3.42 MPM – the sixth best in the majors. The staff are led by right-handed Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.88 ERA), who will start on Friday.
Brown, 26, will seek to extend his stellar start to his third full season of the League. He has the best era in the American League and the second best of majors – behind Paul Skenes from Pittsburgh (1.85).
Brown has granted two points deserved or less into four consecutive departures. He sold two points on three strokes in seven rounds into a non-term against the Twins of Minnesota on Saturday. Houston won 3-2.
“Hunter has become determined and concentrated,” said Astros Joe Espada manager about the start of Brown against twins. “He made very good throws – the change, the quick ball against very good … Drumpers. He was performing everything.”
In three career beginnings against Angels, Brown is 1-1 with a 3.31 MPM.
Friday, the Angels will start a nine game house against Houston before welcoming the Red Sox in Boston and the Washington Nationals to close in June.
Despite the drop of 7-3 in the final of the series against New York Yankees on Thursday, Los Angeles took the series by winning three in a row in the Bronx by a combined score of 8-2.
With the Angels, just two games from the last joker point in the crowded classification of the AL, veteran director Ron Washington knows that a serial victory in June is just a baby step.
“We have won three games. I’m not going to put more stock,” said Washington. “We will see where the season ends, and I could perhaps think about it, and then I can give a valiant answer.”
The left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (2-6, 3.05 ERA) should make his 16th start of the season for the angels on Friday. Kikuchi, 34, granted five points (three deserved) on seven strokes in 5 2/3 rounds on Sunday against Baltimore Orioles. In the defeat of the Angels 11-2, Kikuchi withdrew a top of 10 strikers.
“He had a quick life, and he launched good cursors who were down,” said Washington. “He moved the ball, he worked quickly and obtained fast outings. That’s what you want.”
Longtime Houston of the American American League as a member of the Navy, Kikuchi has a 1-5 file and an MPM of 6.00 in 14 career starts against the Astros.
– field level media
