Yusei Kikuchi pitched seven innings, allowing just three hits in another strong performance, and Yordan Alvarez hit a home run and drove in two runs during the Houston Astros’ 5,000th win, a 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
Kikuchi (9-9) managed to overcome some early difficulties and struck out six Angels while keeping the Astros perfect in all of his starts since joining the team from Toronto. Houston traded three prospects for Kikuchi, who is thankful to general manager Dana Brown for trusting him.
“I heard a lot of what fans had to say” about the trade, Kikuchi said through an interpreter. “But I think our GM made an awesome decision. I just wanted to prove to everybody what I’m capable of. … I wasn’t pitching that well in Toronto just before the deadline, so I was shocked a little bit. But once I got here, I was able to put the past behind me.”
Kikuchi is 5-0 with the Astros, and the team is 8-0 when he pitches. His performance has been a big part of the Astros’ push toward another AL West title after a rough start to the season. Kikuchi and two relievers combined to limit the Angels to three hits.
“He’s been really good,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “We knew that it was in there. I’m just glad that he’s been receptive and been able to be open about the adjustments we wanted him to make, and pitch usage and stuff like that.
But the arm has always been there. It just feels like he’s been here for many, many years. I hope he just keeps going.”
Alex Bregman hit a two-run homer early in the game, and Alvarez added his 33rd home run in the ninth inning for the first-place Astros, who started a six-game trip in Southern California with their second win in a row after a three-game losing streak.
Josh Hader closed the game with his 30th save as the Astros became the 18th major league team to reach 5,000 victories.
