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Carlos Correa's pinch HR in 13th leads Houston Astros past Los Angeles Angels

By Joseph D'Hippolito, The Sports Xchange
Houston Astros' Carlos Correa. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
Houston Astros' Carlos Correa. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Carlos Correa's abbreviated day off proved to be a boon to the Houston Astros.

Appearing as a pinch hitter, Carlos Correa hit a three-run home run in the top of the 13th inning to give the Astros an 8-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday at Angel Stadium.

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"It was unreal," last season's American League Rookie of the Year said. "It was the best day off ever."

Jose Altuve tied a career best with four hits, and Jake Marisnick hit his first homer as the Astros matched a season high with 14 hits while earning their fifth win in six games.

Kole Calhoun hit his fourth home run and Albert Pujols had three hits for Los Angeles. However, third baseman Yunel Escobar left the game in the top of the second inning when Marisnick hit a line drive off his left wrist, causing a contusion. Escobar is day-to-day.

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The Astros began the final rally when Tyler White and Marwin Gonzalez hit successive singles with one out in the top of the 13th. After right-hander Mike Morin (1-1) struck out Marisnick, Houston manager A.J. Hinch called upon Correa to bat for Tony Kemp.

"I told him beforehand that he was going to hit with the game on line," Hinch said. "I think the first time he was going to hit was in the 10th."

Correa prepared previously.

"I was in the cage in the seventh inning, the ninth inning, the 11th inning and the 13th inning," he said. "So I was ready to go. I was getting tired of swinging so much. I was tired of watching. I wanted to be a part of it."

On a 2-1 count, Correa hit Morin's 69 mph changeup into the Astros' bullpen in left field for his eighth home run of the season, despite left fielder Rafael Ortega's attempt at a leaping catch.

"He threw two of those to me last night, and I swung and missed," Correa said of Morin. "I was really out in front. He used the same approach. He tried to get me chasing. I looked for my pitch, I got it and I didn't miss."

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Morin, who threw 1 2/3 innings Saturday night, was the last of six Angels relievers to appear Sunday.

"They did a great job," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "One bad pitch, a hanging off-speed to Correa, and that was it."

Nevertheless, the Angels brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 13th.

Calhoun walked with one out against closer Luke Gregerson, then went to third base on Pujols' two-out double. With Johnny Giavotella at the plate, Calhoun scored on a wild pitch that allowed Pujols to take third. However, Gregerson struck out Giavotella to earn his 12th save and preserve the win for Michael Feliz (3-1), who pitched a perfect 12th inning.

The Angels scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 5-4 lead. C.J. Cron hit a leadoff double over center fielder Marisnick's head and took third base on a wild pitch. After Mike Trout walked with one out, Pujols hit a bloop single to right field that sent Cron home and Trout to third base. Giavotella followed with a squeeze bunt that scored Trout.

The Astros tied the score in the eighth. Evan Gattis doubled off the right field wall and scored on Luis Valbuena's single down the right field line. Valbuena tried to extend his hit into a double, but Calhoun threw him out from right field.

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Calhoun's fourth home run of the season gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Calhoun propelled the first pitch he saw from right-hander Doug Fister, an 87 mph fastball, seven rows into the right field bleachers.

The Astros scored three runs in the fifth against right-hander Nick Tropeano. Marisnick drove in two runs with his first home run off Tropeano's 80 mph slider. Ortega tried to make a leaping catch at the fence in left-center field, but the ball sailed inches wide of his glove.

Kemp followed with a single, then stole second base and came home on Altuve's single. The steal was Kemp's first as a major-leaguer.

Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth but scored just one run on Trout's single up the middle off the glove of diving shortstop Gonzalez.

Houston followed suit in the sixth and chased Tropeano yet produced only one run. Right-hander Cam Bedrosian got Gonzalez to hit into a double play that brought Gattis home.

The Angels narrowed their deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth, when Ortega scored on a fielder's choice by Jett Bandy.

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NOTES: Houston INF Marwin Gonzalez made his second start at shortstop this season. Gonzalez replaced SS Carlos Correa, who received the day off before appearing as a pinch hitter. ... The Astros' bullpen compiled a 2.22 ERA this month through Saturday, the major leagues' best. ... Los Angeles LHP C.J. Wilson had his rehab program interrupted after an MRI discovered biceps tendinitis. Wilson, on the disabled list all season because of left shoulder tendinitis, threw 56 pitches for Class A Inland Empire on Wednesday and felt discomfort after his bullpen session Saturday. ... Angels SS Cliff Pennington played his first game since being activated from the disabled list. Pennington started at shortstop and went 2-for-5. ... Angels 1B Kaleb Cowart made his first major league start at the position Sunday. Cowart played his previous 35 games at third base. ... Angels DH Albert Pujols passed Hall of Famer Honus Wagner and moved into 21st in career RBIs on Saturday.

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