HOUSTON -- Zach Neto had a career-high five hits and a career-high seven RBIs as the Angels’ offense exploded in an 18-3 rout of the Astros on Thursday night at Daikin Park to secure the Halos’ first road series win in nearly three months.
The Angels’ four through nine hitters combined to go 15-for-31 with 10 runs scored and 15 RBIs as the Halos scored a season high for runs in taking their first road series since May 26-28 at Detroit.
Neto had RBI singles in the first and fourth before blasting a three-run homer to left-center in the fifth and a two-run double in the seventh. He tied the Angels’ single-game record for most RBIs in a game played at shortstop set by Freddie Patek, who had seven RBIs on June 20, 1980, at Boston.
After the Astros scored twice in the first on an error and wild pitch, the Angels tied it in the second on a Vaughn Grissom RBI single, and he scored on a Tyler Heineman sacrifice bunt. Josh Lowe capped the inning, scoring on Adam Frazier’s RBI fielder’s choice to first as Lowe was able to avoid Christian Vázquez’s tag off LaMonte Wade Jr.’s throw to the plate.
In addition to Neto’s RBI single in the fourth, Frazier had an RBI double, Moisés Ballesteros had a two-run single and Grissom capped the inning with a two-run double. Nolan Schanuel, who exited in the sixth with right side soreness, had an RBI fielder’s choice before Neto’s homer in the fifth. Denzer Guzman had a two-run homer in the ninth off position player Wade.
In a scary moment, Wade Meckler exited in the fifth after being hit in the head by a 90.6 mph sinker from Bryan King. He was able to walk off the field after being checked by trainers.
The run support was plenty for Grayson Rodriguez, who settled down after working through trouble in the first inning to earn his first win since July 10. Rodriguez yielded two runs (both unearned) on five hits with six strikeouts in seven innings.