HOUSTON — Houston looked destined for an 0-3 start, but the Astros sent the Daikin Park crowd home happy with one of the more remarkable comebacks in recent memory. The team erupted for nine runs in the sixth inning, turning a 6-2 deficit into an 11-6 lead and holding on for an 11-9 victory Saturday night—the Astros’ first win of the 2026 season.
The Angels built their lead methodically. Oswald Peraza hit a solo homer in the third, Jorge Soler followed with a two-run shot in the fourth, and a five-run fifth inning, capped by a wild pitch, pushed the lead to 6-0. Cristian Javier labored through four-plus innings before giving way to Kai-Wei Teng, who couldn’t stop the bleeding.
Then the sixth inning happened. Jake Meyers reached on a fielding error, Joey Loperfido singled, and a wild pitch scored Meyers to make it 6-4. From there, the inning unraveled for the Angels: Carlos Correa singled home two on a throwing error by Logan O’Hoppe to tie it at six, Christian Walker added an RBI single, Cam Smith walked, and Yainer Diaz delivered a two-run single. Meyers capped the inning with a two-run double to make it 11-6: nine runs, seven hits, and two Angel errors in one explosive frame.
The bullpen nearly gave it all back. Bryan Abreu entered in the ninth and allowed a Nolan Schanuel three-run homer to make it 11-9 with the tying run at the plate. Abreu struck out Jorge Soler on a slider to end the game and preserve the win.
Yainer Diaz finished 2-for-4 with two RBI. Christian Walker went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and an RBI single, delivering another strong performance while Correa drove in two with a clutch sixth-inning single.
On the mound, Javier allowed three runs in four innings in a forgettable outing. Teng and Bryan King handled the middle innings, and Abreu closed it out despite the late drama.
The Astros pick up their first win of the season, improving to 1-2. The four-game series continues Sunday.
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