Astros celebrate 5,000th win with 5-3 victory over Angels

The Houston Astros achieved a significant milestone by securing their 5,000th franchise victory with a 5-3 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night in Anaheim, California. Yusei Kikuchi delivered an impressive performance, pitching seven innings and allowing only three hits while striking out six batters. This victory marked Kikuchi's fifth win since joining the Astros, maintaining an unbeaten record in all his starts with the team. Yordan Alvarez played a crucial role in the game, contributing a home run and driving in two runs, while Alex Bregman also made an impact with a two-run homer in the second inning. The Astros scored early, capitalizing on the Angels' pitching struggles, particularly from rookie Samuel Aldegheri, who was unable to complete the third inning, allowing four runs on six hits and five walks. The Angels managed to score three runs, including a solo home run from Mickey Moniak, but it was not enough to overcome the Astros' lead. Josh Hader closed the game with his 30th save, marking his fourth consecutive season with at least 30 saves. This victory places the Astros among the elite teams in Major League Baseball, as they become the 18th franchise to reach the 5,000-win milestone. Looking ahead, the Astros are set to continue their Southern California trip, with Justin Verlander scheduled to pitch in the next game. The Angels, on the other hand, are struggling, having lost five of their last six games, and will need to regroup to improve their performance moving forward.