Pujols’ two-run double lifts Angels

Anaheim, California: Albert Pujols hit a two-run double off Jose Veras with two outs in the ninth inning, Josh Hamilton hit his first home run for the Angels and Los Angeles beat the Houston Astros 5-4 Saturday night to stop a five-game losing streak.

Jose Veras (0-1) came on in the ninth to protect a 4-3 lead for Lucas Harrell and walked No. 9 hitter Luis Jimenez with one out. J.B. Shuck flied out, Mike Trout reached on a two-out infield single to the left side and Pujols followed with a drive inside third base and down the left-field line, giving the Angels their first win in five home games this season.

Left-hander Michael Roth (1-0), promoted earlier in the day from Double-A Arkansas, pitched two perfect innings with four strikeouts to win in his major league debut. Hamilton had gone 10 games and 37 at-bats without a home run.

Houston, which has won its previous three games, led 4-1 in the eighth. Right fielder J.D. Martinez dropped Howie Kendrick’s fly for a two-base error that allowed Pujols to score, and Chris Iannetta followed with a sacrifice fly to centre. Kendrick was doubled off second after shortstop Marwin Gonzalez cut off the throw from Justin Maxwell and fired to second baseman Jose Altuve for the third out.

Angels starter Garrett Richards allowed four runs, three hits and three walks over 6 1-3 innings in place of ace Jered Weaver, who broke his non-pitching arm getting out of the way of a line drive by Mitch Moreland on April 7 at Texas. The 24-year-old right-hander started for the first time since last August, joining a rotation that entered with a 6.02 ERA.

Facing the Astros for the first time, Richards became the first Angels starter this season to get past the sixth inning.

Harrell allowed a run and six hits in 5 2-3 innings and struck out five in his first career appearance against the Angels.

Chris Carper put the Astros ahead with a two-run homer in the fourth, but Hamilton’s sixth-inning drive cut the gap in half.

Sean Burnett relieves Richards with the bases loaded in the seventh and gave up an RBI single by Matt Dominguez and Gonzalez’s run-scoring squeeze bunt.