ANAHEIM, Calif. (Interstat) — Mike Trout launched two home runs, including a tiebreaking solo shot in the eighth inning, to lift the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night at Angel Stadium, pushing their American League West rivals to the brink of playoff elimination.

In a game that defied pregame projections that heavily favored Houston, the Angels chipped away at an early deficit before Trout delivered the decisive blow. The win improved the Angels to 72-88, while the Astros fell to 85-75, their postseason hopes growing increasingly fragile with just two games remaining in the regular season.

The contest was a pitcher’s duel through the first three innings, with Astros starter Jason Alexander and Angels veteran Kyle Hendricks keeping the game scoreless. Alexander allowed four hits and two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings, striking out four. Hendricks was even more effective, working five strong innings and surrendering just two earned runs on five hits while striking out eight Houston batters.

The Astros broke through in the top of the fourth inning. After Carlos Correa lined out, Christian Walker connected for a solo home run, his 25th of the season, to give Houston a 1-0 lead. Yainer Diaz followed with a sharp double to left field, and Zach Cole brought him home with a ground ball double down the left field line, extending the advantage to 2-0. The Astros added a third run later in the frame when Ramón Urías reached on a throwing error by Angels shortstop Denzer Guzman, allowing Cole to score from third.

The Angels immediately responded in the bottom of the inning as Trout answered Walker’s homer with one of his own, a solo shot to center field off Alexander to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Los Angeles continued its methodical comeback in the fifth. After a flyout, Christian Moore doubled to right field. Rookie Denzer Guzman then atoned for his earlier error, driving a sharp ground ball double to left field to score Moore, pulling the Angels within a run at 3-2.

The Angels’ bullpen took over from there, silencing the Astros’ bats. Relievers Chase Silseth and José Fermin combined for two perfect innings, with Silseth recording two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Angels drew even. After a flyout, Moore worked a walk against Astros reliever Jayden Murray. Guzman then singled to center field, but Moore was thrown out at third on a strong relay from center fielder Zach Cole to third baseman Ramón Urías. With Guzman on second, pinch-hitter Chris Taylor delivered a clutch two-out single to right field, scoring Guzman to tie the game 3-3.

The stage was set for Trout in the eighth. Facing Astros reliever Bryan King, the Angels’ designated hitter led off the inning by driving a fly ball to right-center field that cleared the fence for his 25th home run of the year, putting Los Angeles ahead 4-3.

Brock Burke pitched a scoreless top of the eighth for the Angels to earn the win, his sixth against one loss this season. King took the loss for Houston, falling to 5-4.

In the ninth, future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen entered and slammed the door shut for the Angels. Jansen struck out the side, culminating in a 10-pitch battle with Mauricio Dubón that ended the game. It was Jansen’s 30th save of the season and the 476th of his legendary career, moving him to within two saves of Lee Smith for third place on baseball’s all-time list.

The loss continued a difficult final stretch for the Astros, who have struggled to find consistency as they fight for a playoff berth. The Angels, playing the role of spoilers, have now won two of their last three games.

The two teams will meet again Saturday night for the second game of the three-game series, the penultimate series of the 2025 regular season for both clubs.