ANAHEIM -- The long climb back to .500 is over for the Astros, and now the real fun begins.
Houston got home runs from Yainer Diaz and Jeremy Peña, and Hayden Wesneski picked up the win in his return from Tommy John surgery in a 7-4 come-from-behind victory over the Angels on Wednesday night, sweeping the series at Angel Stadium.
With their eighth win in their past nine games, the Astros (55-55) reached the .500 mark for the first time since they were 6-6 entering play on April 8. As of May 21, only the Angels (17-33) and Rockies (19-31) had a worse record than the Astros, who were a season-worst 11 games under .500 (20-31). They are 35-24 since.
The Astros will carry that momentum into a huge series this weekend at Daikin Park against the first-place Rangers, beginning Friday. This is the final meeting of the season between the Lone Star State rivals, and the Astros need one win to clinch the season series -- which could loom large in two months.
Wesneski, pitching in a Major League game for the first time since May 6, 2025, endured a rough first inning in which the Angels scored three times on four hits. Diaz (second inning) and Peña (third) hit solo homers, and the Astros took the lead with three runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run double from Cam Smith to break an 0-for-13 drought.
Wesneski fell one out shy of a quality start, allowing three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking two. He threw 52 of 79 pitches for strikes. He’s the 15th starting pitcher used by the Astros this year, which is the most in baseball this year.