Ethan Pecko’s first major league start featured a standing ovation, a bizarre fan-interference play, and a bullpen that refused to give up the lead as the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 Wednesday night at Daikin Park.
The win moved Houston to 64-63 and, coupled with the Texas Rangers’ 6-0 loss to the Washington Nationals, gave the Astros a two-game lead in the AL West with 35 games remaining.
Pecko, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Sugar Land earlier Wednesday, allowed two runs on three hits over 3⅔ innings. The 23-year-old right-hander walked three and struck out four while throwing 89 pitches, 49 for strikes.
Pecko kept the Angels scoreless through his first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. After retiring Moisés Ballesteros, he walked Vaughn Grissom and allowed a single to Josh Lowe. Denzer Guzman then drove a ball toward the Crawford Boxes that resulted in one of the stranger plays of the night.
A fan in the front row reached for the ball below the top of the wall. Fan interference was called, and Guzman was awarded a two-run double, scoring both Grissom and Lowe and giving Los Angeles a 2-1 lead.
Pecko struck out Oswald Peraza before manager Joe Espada went to the bullpen. As Pecko walked off the field following his major league debut, the Daikin Park crowd gave him a standing ovation.
Bennett Sousa retired Wade Meckler to end the inning and keep the deficit at one.
Houston wasted little time responding.
Yordan Alvarez opened the bottom of the fourth with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Isaac Paredes walked before Jose Altuve lined an RBI double to left, scoring Alvarez and moving Paredes to third. Cam Smith followed with a sacrifice fly to center that brought Paredes home and gave the Astros a 3-2 lead they would never relinquish.
Christian Vázquez had supplied Houston’s first run an inning earlier with his seventh home run of the season, and its destination provided one of the more entertaining moments of the night.
The Astros broadcast crew was making its annual appearance in a temporary booth in the Crawford Boxes, with Geoff Blum even wearing a glove for the occasion. Vázquez’s homer sailed over field reporter Julia Morales and landed just feet from the booth occupied by Blum and Todd Kalas, who could be seen cheering as the ball headed their way.
The night also brought another injury concern for Houston. Jeremy Peña was hit on the right hand by a 100 mph sinker while swinging, and the pitch resulted in strike three. Peña initially remained in the game, playing defense in the second and third innings. Nick Allen pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the third and remained at shortstop.
The Astros later announced that Peña left with a right hand contusion.
Espada’s night also ended early. He was ejected by first-base umpire Lance Barrett in the top of the third after arguing a check-swing call when Mike Trout was hit by a Pecko pitch.
Once Pecko departed, Houston’s bullpen made the one-run lead stand.
Sousa worked 1⅓ scoreless innings and earned the win. AJ Blubaugh followed with a scoreless sixth, Steven Okert handled the seventh, and Bryan Abreu struck out two in a perfect eighth.
Josh Hader then took the mound for the 500th appearance of his major league career and earned his 18th save of the season, although the Angels made him work for it.
Hader walked pinch-hitter Travis d’Arnaud to begin the ninth, and pinch-runner Adam Frazier stole second before advancing to third on an Oswald Peraza groundout. With the tying run 90 feet away, Hader got Jose Siri to fly out to Daulton Varsho in center to finish the 3-2 victory.
Houston’s bullpen combined for 5⅓ scoreless innings, allowing just two hits while striking out seven.
For an Astros team that entered the night badly needing to regain some ground after a difficult stretch, Pecko’s debut ended with exactly what mattered most: a win.
And with 35 games left, Houston once again has a little breathing room atop the AL West.
The Astros will look to take the series Thursday in the rubber match against the Angels, with Peter Lambert scheduled to start for Houston. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. CT.
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