HOUSTON — Carlos Correa relishes the chance to be at the plate with the game on the line.
For the third time this season, Correa came through in the clutch.
The shortstop hit a two-run single to right-centre field with no outs in the ninth inning and the Houston Astros rallied for a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
"That’s the situation I want to be in," Correa said. "I want to be in that situation every day. I want to be able to feel the pressure that drives me. I feel comfortable in that situation."
After Huston Street (2-1) loaded the bases with two walks and an infield single, Correa laced a 3-2 pitch into the gap, scoring George Springer and Marwin Gonzalez.
"Just try to get a good pitch to hit," Correa said. "I know he throws a lot of sliders and I was looking for one up in the zone. He threw two good pitches and I swung through one, I took the other one and 3-2 I was just looking for the fastball and he gave it to me."
Street did not record an out in blowing his second save of the season.
"Huston looked like he had trouble with everything," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "He wasn’t able to get his slider where he needed it to be. He wasn’t able to get his fastball where he wanted it to be or his changeup. He’s had trouble getting pitches into good zones. You walk the first guy, and that’s a recipe for something bad to happen."
The Astros improved to 36-36 with their sixth walkoff victory of the season, moving to .500 for the first time since it was 1-1 on April 6.
"We’ve done everything we can to inch back to relevance but this isn’t going to accomplish anything," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "It’s a good milestone because of how the season started. We’ve got a tough game tomorrow that we need to focus on and be better."
Correa hit his second home run in two games to cut the lead to 2-1 in the fifth.
Luke Gregerson (1-1) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.
C.J. Cron hit his first home run since May 31 and sixth of the season in the fourth inning off a hanging curveball to give the Angels a 2-0 lead.
Mike Trout had two hits, including an RBI single in the first. It was the 14th first-inning run surrendered by Collin McHugh in 15 starts this season.
"Yeah, it could have gotten away from me, from us quickly, but we were able to make good pitches, got some good defensive plays and stayed with it," McHugh said about getting out of the first inning.
Street’s rough ninth spoiled a solid outing from Hector Santiago, who allowed one run on three hits with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
McHugh allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts in seven innings. After giving up four runs in each of his first two starts in June, McHugh has settled down in surrendering just three in his last two starts.
WEB GEM
Johnny Giavotella kept the Angels ahead with a diving play to start an inning-ending double play in the eighth. After making the stop on Jason Castro’s grounder up the middle, Giavotella tossed the ball to Andrelton Simmons, who caught it barehanded and threw it to first to complete the play.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: 1B Albert Pujols was given a day off because of left hamstring tightness, Scioscia said. … RHP Nick Tropeano (right shoulder tightness) will start a rehab assignment on Thursday with Class-A Inland Empire. … LHP Tyler Skaggs (shoulder tightness) will pitch in an Arizona League game on Wednesday. … RHP Joe Smith (left hamstring strain) threw a bullpen session on Tuesday, Scioscia said.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Matt Shoemaker (3-7, 4.50 ERA) gets the ball for the Angels on Wednesday. In his last seven starts, Shoemaker has posted a 3-4 record with a 2.19 ERA, while striking out 60 and walking just four.
Astros: RHP Lance McCullers (3-2, 4.24 ERA) will start for the Astros on Wednesday. McCullers has gone 3-3 in his last six starts, in which he has struck out at least six batters in every game.
