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Clips

(May 20, 2014)

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Today’s Clips Contents

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES (Page 3)

Angels' Garrett Richards isn't so dominating in 5-2 loss to Astros

Ninth-inning rally comes too late for Angels in 5-2 loss to Astros

Mike Trout helps high school kid ask girl to prom in New Jersey FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (Page 5)

Richards loses magic touch in loss to Astros

Angels Afterthoughts: Santiago gets a turn

Angels still value Ibañez's bat

On deck: Astros at Angels, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Final: Astros 5, Angels 2

Healing Angels open series with Astros

Program rewards O.C. students for avoiding foul play with trip to Angels game

FROM ANGELS.COM (Page 12)

Angels have few answers for Astros in opener

With roster decisions looming, Ibanez appears safe

Skaggs, Feldman square off in AL West matchup FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (Page 18)

Astros-Angels Preview

Dallas Keuchel pitches Astros past Angels 5-2 FROM THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS (Page 21)

Angels’ roster could be taking on different look FROM SPORTS XCHANGE (Page 24)

Team Report- LOS ANGELES ANGELS

Team Report- HOUSTON ASTROS

May 20, 2014 Page 3 of 29

FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

Angels' Garrett Richards isn't so dominating in 5-2 loss to Astros By Mike DiGiovanna Jered Weaver had a feeling Garrett Richards' national profile was about to grow on April 27, as the Angels prepared to face Japanese sensation Masahiro Tanaka in Yankee Stadium on ESPN's national Sunday night telecast.

“I told Garrett that all the hype will be on Tanaka tonight,” said Weaver, the Angels' ace, “but after this game, a lot of people are going to be talking about you.”

Richards battled Tanaka to a draw, both giving up two runs, Richards on three hits in seven innings and Tanaka on five hits in 61/3 innings.

Dozens of reporters from his native Oklahoma didn't start chronicling Richards' every move the way the Japanese media scrutinizes Tanaka, but as his wins mounted, his earned-run average dropped, and word spread of his 96-mph fastball and wipeout slider, Richards began to gain acclaim.

ESPN analyst Buster Olney wrote last week that Richards, in his first full season as a starter, “has quickly developed a reputation for having some of the most dominant stuff in the sport.” Richards, 26, also topped a list of baseball's “next wave of potential aces” on ESPN's website.

All of which meant nothing to the last-place Houston Astros, who roughed up Richards for five runs and eight hits in the first three innings of a 5-2 victory in Angel Stadium on Monday night.

Richards gave up three runs or fewer in seven of his first eight starts; he gave up three runs before recording an out Monday. He limited batters to an American League-low .186 average in his first eight starts; the Astros hit .571 (eight for 14) against him in the first three innings Monday.

Richards struck out 54 batters in 52 innings of his first eight starts; he whiffed one in seven innings Monday, his record falling to 4-1 and his ERA jumping from 2.42 to 2.90.

Richards wasn't even the best Oklahoman on the mound. That honor went to Tulsa native Dallas Keuchel, the Astros left-hander who came within an out of throwing his second straight shutout, giving up two runs and five hits in 82/3 innings to improve to 5-2.

“They got me early on with some timely hitting,” Richards said. “I made some good pitches, and they were spitting on some good two-strike breaking balls. Those are usually pitches guys swing at, but tonight they laid off them.”

Jose Altuve doubled to open the game and took third when George Springer walked on a wild pitch. Richards tried to pick off Altuve at third — a play pitchers rarely attempt — but his throw sailed a good 15 feet wide of third baseman Luis Jimenez, who did not appear to be expecting it.

“It was just a miscommunication between me and Chris and Luis,” Richards said, referring to catcher Chris Iannetta. “The play was on, but I guess it wasn't on.”

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Altuve scored on the error, and Springer took third. Dexter Fowler walked, and Jason Castro and Matt Dominguez hit run-scoring singles for a 3-0 lead before Chris Carter flied out on Richards' 25th pitch of the game.

Consecutive two-out singles by Altuve, Springer and Fowler in the second gave Houston a 4-0 lead. The Astros pushed it to 5-0 in the third when Castro's popup to shallow left-center dropped for a double and Carter hit an RBI single to center.

Richards blanked Houston on two hits from the fourth through seventh.

“Garrett had a tough time early on commanding counts and putting away guys,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He made adjustments as the game went on with his two-seam fastball, which was good to see, but the damage was obviously done.”

Ninth-inning rally comes too late for Angels in 5-2 loss to Astros By Mike DiGiovanna AT THE PLATE: The Angels, who lost for only the third time in 11 games, had five singles in 8 2/3 innings against Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel, but only two, by Albert Pujols, left the infield. Mike Trout probably cost Keuchel his second straight shutout when he beat out a routine grounder to second for a single with two out in the ninth. Houston Manager Bo Porter let Keuchel, whose pitch count was at 124, face Pujols. When Pujols singled, Porter pulled Keuchel in favor of Josh Zeid, who gave up a two-run triple to Howie Kendrick before getting C.J. Cron to ground to third, ending the game.

ON THE MOUND: Hector Santiago retired six batters in the eighth and ninth, his first relief appearance in eight days and second since being demoted to the bullpen on May 9. The left-hander is gradually losing the endurance he built up as a starter, and at some point the Angels must decide whether he would be better off starting at triple A. “You're always evaluating what's best for a player, what's best for your roster,” Manager Mike Scioscia said, “but we haven't come to any decisions yet.”

BACK IN ACTION: Reliever Dane De La Rosa said his shoulder felt “great” after last week's cortisone injection and Sunday's 30-pitch bullpen workout, and he will resume his minor league rehabilitation stint Tuesday at Salt Lake. The right-hander believes it will take “a couple more outings” before he is ready to return to the Angels.

REHAB REPORT: Right fielder Kole Calhoun (right ankle sprain) was two for five with a double and two RBIs, and third baseman David Freese (right middle finger fracture) hit a solo homer for triple-A Salt Lake on Monday. Calhoun is expected back with the Angels this week; Freese is expected to be activated for Tuesday night's game against the Astros. … Reliever Sean Burnett is nearing a return from elbow surgery, having thrown a perfect inning Monday for double-A Arkansas, his fourth straight scoreless outing. Scioscia said the left-hander's stuff is “where you'd like to see it, but we want to make sure it's going to stick.”

EXTRA BASES: Collin Cowgill, who is batting .301, did not start Monday night because of tightness in his hip flexor, but Scioscia said the outfielder was available off the bench. … The Angels extended their

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player development agreement with Salt Lake, their triple-A affiliate since 2001, by two years, through 2016.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Tyler Skaggs (3-1, 4.53 ERA) will oppose Houston right-hander Scott Feldman (2-1, 2.63) at Angel Stadium at 7 p.m. On the air: FS West; Radio: 830.

Mike Trout helps high school kid ask girl to prom in New Jersey By Houston Mitchell Is there anything Mike Trout can't do? Not only is the Angels center fielder one of the best players in baseball, he can single-handedly help a high school kid land his dream date for the prom.

Tim Moraski, who goes to high school in New Jersey, wanted to ask Emily Caracciolo to the prom. Problem: Moraski is shy. So, he sent a tweet to Trout, his favorite player, asking Trout if he would ask Caracciolo for him.

Trout sent Caracciolo a tweet saying "Hey @emilycaracciolo your boy @Tim_Moraski is too shy to ask you so I thought I would help him out...Will you go to prom with him ???!"

An anxious world awaited her replay, and then, five minutes later, it came in a tweet from Caracciolo: "@Trouty20 @Tim_Moraski YES!! Omg omg omg yes" And the tweet ended with not one, not two, not three, but four smiley faces.

Mike Trout, is now a six-tool player: he can hit, hit with power, run, throw, field and bring hearts together.

FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Richards loses magic touch in loss to Astros By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM – The trick to turning talent into consistency in the majors is to minimize damage on the bad nights.

Garrett Richards, who is all about finding the positives even in defeat these days, at least had that going for him in the Angels’ 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros on Monday night.

Richards allowed the first five batters to reach base and he gave up three runs in the first, but still finished seven innings and kept the Angels close enough to get the tying run into the on-deck circle in the ninth.

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“Finding a way to throw seven innings after going through that in the first three innings isn’t an easy thing to do,” Richards said. “I think that’s part of my maturity and my progression as a starting pitcher.”

Richards induced three double-play balls to help him work out of jams. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to undo the early damage, as the Astros took a 5-0 lead in the third inning.

“I made some good pitches and they were spitting on some good two-strike breaking balls and they found a way to put the ball in play,” Richards said. “Just one of those nights.”

The 10 hits the Astros collected against Richards came in all forms, from blistering line drives to seeing-eye grounders to one popup that left fielder Grant Green never could find.

Even if Richards had been on the top of his game, the Angels would have had trouble winning because they couldn’t mount much of an attack against Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel until it was too late.

Keuchel, who is enjoying a breakthough third season in the majors, came inches from pitching a second consecutive shutout. With two outs in the ninth, Mike Trout beat out an infield hit. Albert Pujols then singled and Keuchel was chased out of the game. Both runs scored on Howie Kendrick’s triple against Josh Zeid.

Trout and Pujols had just the fourth and fifth hits of the night against Keuchel, and only two of them got out of the infield.

“He had the ball down all night,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “He got some breaking balls under our swings. Got some changups that were down and we got in front of them. He pitched a strong game for them.”

Angels Afterthoughts: Santiago gets a turn By Jeff Fletcher ANAHEIM – After seven days of watching baseball, Hector Santiago got a chance to begin what he hopes is the road back to the Angels rotation.

“I was sitting down and relaxing and watching these guys and using what they were doing to find what I used to do,” Santiago said. “Just sitting back and getting some mind rest, relaxing the brain.”

Santiago, who had faced only two batters on May 11 since the Angels sent him to the bullpen, finally got to get on the mound and let the throttle out, so to speak, in tonight's 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros. He worked the last two innings, retiring all six batters. One of them hit a 400-foot fly ball that Mike Trout caught at the fence, but it was still a “perfect” night.

“The last few days I’ve been working and trying to get back to where I was in the spring and last year,” Santiago said. “I saw a little of that today.”

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What Mike Scioscia saw was a fastball that averaged 92.2 mph. In his previous two outings, he’d averaged 90.2 and 91.5. In most of his starts he’d been pitching at 92-93 mph.

“Tonight it looked some balls came out of his hand hotter and that’s good to see,” Scioscia said. “Hector has got more fastball in him than 89-90 mph. He’s working his way into that.”

Santiago said he felt like he was finally “driving the ball through the zone and finishing pitches.” He said some of the lost velocity may have been a result of him holding back to try to throw strikes when he was behind in the count.

ALSO

Garrett Richards’ throwing error on the pickoff play in the first was a “miscommunication,” Richards said. He thought a play was on, but apparently it wasn’t, and third baseman Luis Jimenez wasn’t ready for a throw…

You may have noticed that Richards’ three worst starts have been at home, while he’s had six good starts on the road. Richards: “I don’t have an explanation.”…

Albert Pujols had two more hits tonight. He’s 9 for his last 25 (.360)…

David Freese was 1 for 4 with a homer tonight at Triple-A Salt Lake City. He’s expected to be activated on Tuesday… Kole Calhoun was 2 for 5. He may have one or two more games to go at Salt Lake City.

Angels still value Ibañez's bat By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM – The Angels could have as many as six players come off the disabled list in the next week, which is going to make for some difficult roster decisions.

Don’t expect Raul Ibañez to be one of them, though.

While there has been much speculation that Ibañez, who is hitting .148, might be released, Jerry Dipoto quashed that speculation Monday.

“We believe in Raul,” the Angels general manager said. “We believe in his swing. Even though he hasn’t been himself, he’s managed to drive in a lot of important, critical runs for us. I can count on two fingers wins we wouldn’t have had if Raul wasn’t here.”

Ibañez, who is two weeks from his 42nd birthday, has managed to drive in 20 runs, even though he has just 16 hits. He has driven in 13 of those runs in the seventh inning or later.

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Dipoto said the Angels are also still inclined to believe Ibañez can turn it around because he did so last year. He was hitting .167 on May 4, 2013, then hit .303 with nine homers over the next 20 games. He finished with 29 homers.

Ibañez signed a one-year, $2.75 million deal that includes incentives, based on plate appearances, that could push it to $5 million.

Ibañez has slipped into a platoon with rookie C.J. Cron, who has been starting against left-handed pitchers. The Angels saw a lefty Monday, but they will see right-handers in three of the next four games, allowing an opportunity for Ibañez.

While Ibañez may stick around, it’s certain that at least a couple of productive players are going to be headed out soon, because the Angels could get David Freese, Kole Calhoun, Josh Hamilton, Ian Stewart, Dane De La Rosa and even Sean Burnett off the disabled list in the next week.

“It speaks to the depth of our organization when you have tough decisions,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We had them in spring training. We are going to have some this week again. A lot of guys who are contributing are going to have to go back down. We’ll see how it sorts itself out.”

Freese, who hit a homer in the third game of his rehab assignment Monday, could be back Tuesday. Calhoun could be a day behind.

Third baseman Luis Jimenez and outfielder Efren Navarro are the most likely players to go down to make room for those two.

Hamilton, who is expected to begin his rehab assignment Friday, should be back by Monday, and that’s when things get more difficult. Grant Green and Cron have played well, but one of them will most likely have to go to make room for Hamilton.

Stewart, who also could begin a rehab assignment, is also eligible to come off the disabled list Monday. Stewart still has a minor league option, so the Angels don’t necessarily have to clear a spot for him.

De La Rosa, whose rehab assignment was interrupted by some shoulder discomfort, returned to Salt Lake City and he’s expected to pitch on Tuesday. He said he is “close” to being ready.

Even Burnett, who has not pitched in the majors in nearly a year, could be nearing a return. Dipoto saw him last week at Double-A Arkansas and said he is “pretty close,” also.

“Sean has come a long way,” Dipoto said. “His velocity has improved with every outing. His sink is back to being a big-time weapon.”

NOTES

Collin Cowgill was out of the lineup because of a tight hip flexor, Scioscia said. Cowgill, who had started every game since Calhoun went on the disabled list a month ago, was available to come off the bench. ...

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The Angels and the Salt Lake City Bees announced a two-year extension to their player development contract, through 2016. The Angels have had their Triple-A team in Salt Lake City since 2001. ...

Scioscia did not announce the Angels rotation beyond Friday, which will be C.J. Wilson’s turn. Saturday would be Matt Shoemaker’s turn, but the Angels could skip Shoemaker, because of Thursday’s off day, and bring back Garrett Richards.

On deck: Astros at Angels, Tuesday, 7 p.m. By Jeff Fletcher

Where: Angel Stadium

TV: Fox Sports West, 7 p.m.

Did you know: The Angels’ eight-win improvement from last year at the 43-game mark was the largest in the majors.

THE PITCHERS

LHP TYLER SKAGGS (3-1, 4.53)

After pitching consistently well for the first month, Skaggs has slipped into a pattern that is more typical of a 22-year-old getting his first extended opportunity in a big league rotation. He’s combined good and bad outings. In his previous time out, he gave up five runs in six innings, but he was spared a loss by Mike Trout’s game-ending homer.

• Vs. Houston: 1-0, 0.00

• At Angel Stadium: 0-1, 6.91

• Loves to face: Jesus Guzman, 1 for 8 (.125)

• Hates to face: None

RHP SCOTT FELDMAN (2-1, 2.63)

Feldman, who signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Astros over the winter, is making his third start since coming off the disabled list. He allowed six earned runs in 11 innings in his previous two. When the Angels faced him in Houston in April, he pitched seven innings and gave up a run on three hits.

• Vs. Angels: 5-6, 4.97

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• At Angel Stadium: 2-4, 5.30

• Loves to face: Albert Pujols, 0 for 5 (.000)

• Hates to face: Erick Aybar, 10 for 22 (.455)

Final: Astros 5, Angels 2 By Jeff Fletcher

ANAHEIM – Garrett Richards’ magical quarter season hit a speed bump Monday night.

Richards had not only been the Angels' best starter this season, but he’d been one of the best pitchers in the majors. The Houston Astros, however, tagged him for five runs in a 5-2 loss.

The first five Houston hitters reached base against Richards, two on walks. He also threw a wild pitch and had an errant pickoff throw. Thanks to a double play, though, the Astros scored only three runs in the inning.

They added single runs in the second and third, the latter with the help of a bloop double when left fielder Grant Green lost track of a popup.

The bloopers, line drives and seeing-eye ground balls added up to 10 hits against Richards, a departure in a season in which he went into the game averaging a league-best 6.1 hits per nine innings. Opponents were hitting just .186 against him.

As bad a night as it could have been for Richards, he induced three double plays to escape innings and got through the seventh.

He gave the Angels a chance to get back in the game, but they couldn’t do much against Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel. The Angels got just five hits against him, including three infield hits, and they didn't score against him until he was gone.

Kuechel was inches away from pitching his second consecutive shutout when Mike Trout beat out an infield hit. Albert Pujols then singled and both scored on Howie Kendrick's triple against reliever Josh Zeid.

The game did provide the Angels an opportunity to get Hector Santiago on the mound for his second appearance since he lost his spot in the rotation. Santiago, who had not pitched in eight days, worked two perfect innings.

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Healing Angels open series with Astros By Jeff Fletcher

The pieces are beginning to come together for the Angels, who have won eight of 10 as they open a series tonight against the last-place Houston Astros.

Not only are they winning, but they are quickly getting healthy.

Within the next week, they are expecting to get Josh Hamilton, Kole Calhoun, David Freese, Ian Stewart, Dane De La Rosa and maybe even Sean Burnett back off the disabled list.

The first one is likely to be Freese, who has played two games so far at Triple-A Salt Lake City. After that, Calhoun may not be far behind.

Hamilton and Stewart, who both took batting practice today, could both head for Salt Lake City for a rehab assignment on Friday.

De La Rosa, who is headed to Salt Lake City to pitch on Tuesday, said he only needs one or two games to be ready.

Even Burnett, who has not pitched in the majors in nearly a year, has looked very good in his outings at Double-A Arkansas, according to Mike Scioscia and Jerry Dipoto. Barring a setback -- which obviously is possible, considering where he's been -- Burnett is expected back within two weeks, at the latest.

All of that means there will be some hard decisions upcoming for the Angels, who have gotten strong performances from most of the players called up to fill in for the injured ones.

Here's an educated guess (emphasis on guess) on the upcoming roster moves, in expected chronological order...

Freese activated. Luis Jimenez down. Calhoun activated. Efren Navarro down. De La Rosa activated. Fernando Salas, Mike Morin or Michael Kohn down (going out on a limb

there, huh?) Hamilton activated. Grant Green down. Stewart activated and optioned to Triple A. Burnett activated. Hector Santiago down.

The pitching moves are tough, because at the moment no one is really performing that badly on the pitching staff.

Obviously, a lot can change before this stuff has to happen, particularly the Burnett move. If Matt Shoemaker has a couple rough outings before Burnett comes back then Santiago may be back in the rotation by then. If Shoemaker continues to pitch well and Santiago isn't having the opportunity to get in

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any work, the Angels may have to send him down just so he can pitch every fifth day and get himself straightened out.

In other news, Collin Cowgill has a little tight hip flexor today, so he's not in the lineup for the first time since Calhoun went on the disabled list a month ago.

Program rewards O.C. students for avoiding foul play with trip to Angels game

More than 1,700 Orange County kids got a taste of the ballpark as a reward for avoiding gang life, as the Angels opened their gates Monday to a group of at-risk students.

The students from dozens of local schools got prime seats behind the dugout as the Angels took on the Houston Astros. They were greeted by recently retired Anaheim police dog Bruno and were treated to a talk with Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton during warm-ups.

“It was amazing,” said Becky Sutherland, 13, of Santiago Charter Middle School in Orange. “I’m a big fan of Hamilton and it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

The ballgame trip was a reward given by the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership to the students, who completed their school year with improved attendance, grades and behavior. The anti-gang program is supported by numerous local law enforcement agencies.

FROM ANGELS.COM

Angels have few answers for Astros in opener By Alden Gonzalez

ANAHEIM -- Garrett Richards rocked an Oklahoma City Thunder hat late Monday night -- still unaware that his hometown team had been blown out by the San Antonio Spurs in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals -- and gave the proverbial tip of the cap to fellow Oklahoman Dallas Keuchel, the soft-tossing Astros left-hander who outdid him in the series opener.

"He pitched a great game," Richards said after the 5-2 loss at Angel Stadium. "He's been throwing the ball well."

So well, in fact, that he was one out away from back-to-back shutouts until Mike Trout and Albert Pujols hit two-out singles in the bottom of the ninth and prompted Astros skipper Bo Porter to make a change 128 pitches into his starter's outing.

Keuchel settled for two earned runs -- the product of Howie Kendrick's ensuing triple off relieverJosh Zeid -- in 8 2/3 innings, which was one less than what Richards gave up to the first five batters of the game.

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"That's a very powerful lineup," Keuchel and his 2.63 ERA said of the Angels. "I was lucky to get into the ninth inning. I was careful, but at the same time, my game is to go out and attack the zone."

Richards entered Monday with a 2.18 ERA in his previous five starts, but he gave up five runs in the first three innings and put his team in an early three-run hole.

The 25-year-old right-hander gave up a leadoff double to Jose Altuve, walked George Springer, uncorked his Major League-leading 10th wild pitch, then made an errant throw to third on an attempted pickoff, allowing the game's first run to score.

"That play at third was my fault," catcher Chris Iannetta said. "I thought I got the sign to pick over. I didn't see the sign correctly with whatever sequence we were using. Obviously, Luis [Jimenez] didn't break, because he didn't get the same sign. So that was on me."

What followed -- a walk to Dexter Fowler, then back-to-back RBI singles by Jason Castro and Matt Dominguez -- was on Richards, who had been the best starter of an overachieving rotation through the season's first six weeks.

"I was making some good pitches, and they were spitting on some good two-strike breaking balls," Richards said, "and they found a way to put the ball in play."

It wound up being Richards' first loss -- and only the Angels' third in their last 11 games -- but his ERA only jumped from 2.40 to 2.90 because he was able to complete seven innings.

Richards gave up a two-out RBI single to Fowler in the second and a one-out RBI single to Chris Carter in the third, but retired 12 of the last 14 batters he faced and recorded 21 outs for the sixth time in nine starts this season.

"There's a lot of positive things I'm going to take away from this game," he said. "I found a way to go seven innings. The first three I gave up some runs, but then I put up some zeros and kept us in the ballgame and gave us a chance to score some runs. Nothing but positives."

Keuchel had given up 17 earned runs in 23 career innings against the Angels heading into this outing, which came six weeks after he gave up four runs in five innings against the Angels in his season opener.

But by the time the 26-year-old southpaw took the mound for the ninth, the Angels had only four baserunners -- one on a walk, one on a jam-shot blooper and two on infield singles -- and Keuchel had thrown 20 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

"I think the biggest thing for him tonight was really that sinker was very good," Iannetta said. "He was throwing it for strikes, he was also throwing it below the zone. ... He was getting a lot of swings and misses on it. And he always has that changeup in his back pocket. He was working really quick, especially out of the stretch. He was very quick to the plate, and he was keeping guys off balance, too. He pitched a great game."

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With roster decisions looming, Ibanez appears safe By Alden Gonzalez

ANAHEIM -- The Angels will have a lot of interesting decisions to make in the next few days, but it appears thatRaul Ibanez's standing on the roster will not be one of them.

General manager Jerry Dipoto wouldn't say that the veteran designated hitter will not be released, but he did indicate that the club will continue to be patient with Ibanez -- because he turned things around after a slow start last season, because they like his veteran presence, because he's come through in late-game situations and because keeping him on the roster allows the organization to preserve depth.

"One of the real benefits about where we're at right now is just the fact that we have unmasked some depth, and once you start peeling depth away, it's not there anymore," Dipoto said. "Raul has a track record. He has done this before. He has gone through cold spells, and he has gotten hot. There's nobody here who believes Raul has had his last good days in the big leagues."

The Angels' current dilemma, no doubt, is a good one.

Efren Navarro, Grant Green, C.J. Cron and Luis Jimenez have come up from Triple-A and contributed in the past few weeks, and now several key position players are on the verge of being activated from the disabled list.

Third baseman David Freese (non-displaced fracture in right middle finger) and right fielder Kole Calhoun (sprained right ankle) are deep into their rehab assignments with Triple-A Salt Lake and could be back within the next couple of days.

That would presumably lead to Jimenez (a right-handed-hitting third baseman) and Navarro (a left-handed hitter currently playing corner outfield) being optioned.

But next week, when left fielder Josh Hamilton (surgery on left thumb) and third baseman Ian Stewart (left hand contusion) are projected to return, is when things could get interesting.

The Angels would then conceivably have to make a decision between Green, a right-handed hitter who can play up to four positions, and Cron, the slugging prospect who can spell Albert Pujols by playing first base and can be a right-handed-hitting complement to Ibanez at DH.

Stewart, who has batted .176 and struck out 31 times in 24 games, can be optioned to Triple-A.

"We're finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in getting guys back," Dipoto said. "And the guys who have come up and chipped in have done such a great job that it makes it tough to have conversations. But my goodness, when you look at the way the roster has been stacked, it's been fun."

Ibanez, 41, has a .148/.268/.269 slash line in his first 36 games, but he posted only a .511 OPS in April last season and turned it around shortly thereafter, with a 1.031 OPS in May. The Angels believe he can do the same now.

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"To be fair, you bring a guy in, you remain patient with him, you give him his opportunity," Dipoto said. "Raul wasn't brought in to jam into the four-hole and hit cleanup for a month. It hasn't been a great six weeks for him. We'll get him where he needs to be."

De La Rosa to restart rehab assignment

ANAHEIM -- Right-handed reliever Dane De La Rosa (irritation in right s/c joint) is slated to restart his rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Tuesday, two days after throwing a 30-pitch bullpen session at Angel Stadium.

In addition, lefty Sean Burnett looks on track to be activated before the end of the week.

Burnett, limited to 13 games last season and completing the final steps of a lengthy rehabilitation from August elbow surgery, is "throwing the ball as well as he has in a couple of years," manager Mike Scioscia said on Monday.

Burnett gave up three runs in his debut with the Arkansas Travelers, and has since reeled off four consecutive scoreless outings. The 31-year-old struck out the side on Thursday, then notched back-to-back 1-2-3 innings on Saturday and Monday.

General manager Jerry Dipoto recently saw Burnett pitch and reported that he has great action on his curveball and sinker and is bouncing back well.

"I think Sean is at a stage now where his stuff is where you'd like to see it," Scioscia said. "You just want to make sure that it's there and it's going to stick."

Santiago mired in tough situation

ANAHEIM -- Matt Shoemaker has beaten Cliff Lee and David Price in his two starts since coming up from Triple-A, while Hector Santiagowent seven days without a relief appearance before pitching two innings of mop-up duty on Monday.

"Difficult spot," manager Mike Scioscia said of Santiago's situation. "Difficult spot."

The Angels moved Santiago out of the rotation after the 26-year-old lefty went 0-6 with a 5.19 ERA in his first seven starts. Since then he has basically been a long reliever, one who hasn't had any chances, because the starters have consistently pitched deep into games.

Scioscia reiterated on Monday that "long range, there's no doubt that [Santiago] has the potential to start," but he made no indications as to when that would occur.

The Angels have an off-day on Thursday and could juggle the rotation thereafter. C.J. Wilson will start Friday's series opener against the Royals, but the rest is to be determined. They could skip Santiago's spot, which belongs to Shoemaker, but that would only buy them three days, because the following off-day isn't until June 2.

Asked if it would be best for Santiago to stay stretched out in Triple-A at this point, Scioscia said, "I think you're always evaluating what's best for a player, what's best for your roster, but we haven't come to any decisions yet on that.

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"What Hector needs to focus on -- when he gets the ball, in whatever role -- is to make pitches and get guys out," he added. "It's not uncommon for a guy to struggle a little in the rotation, get off the treadmill for a while, and when he gets his opportunity, he's better prepared. Hopefully, that will be the case for Hector."

Angels, Salt Lake Bees extend association

ANAHEIM -- The Angels and Salt Lake Bees have signed a two-year player-development extension that will keep the Bees as the Angels' Triple-A affiliate through the 2016 season.

The Angels have been the Bees' parent club since 2001. In that stretch, the Bees have compiled a 971-941 record, won five division championships and made two trips to the Pacific Coast League finals, including last season. Salt Lake is celebrating the franchise's 20th anniversary this season and has attracted more than 10 million fans to its 15,411-seat home, Smith's Ballpark, during that time.

"We have enjoyed our longstanding relationship with Salt Lake and are thrilled to announce an extension through 2016," assistant general manager Scott Servais said in a statement on Monday. "The City of Salt Lake and employees of the franchise continue to provide a first-class venue and experience for baseball fans."

Worth noting

• More than 1,700 at-risk students (fourth through eighth grade) were invited to Monday's game as part of the Angels' sixth annual Orange County Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership. The students, making up the largest turnout in the event's history, watched early batting practice and received talks from Scioscia and Hamilton as a reward for improved behavior and staying out of gangs. Retired K-9 Bruno, who was shot on duty while protecting police and probation officers on March 20, made an appearance.

• Outfielder Collin Cowgill, batting .301/.398/.409 on the season, sat on Monday against an opposing left-hander because he's experiencing some tightness in his hip flexor.

"He'll be available if we need it," Scioscia said, "but we're just trying to keep him off his legs as much as we can."

• Grant Green got some work at first base with infield coach Alfredo Griffin prior to Monday's game. Green is most comfortable at second base but can also play shortstop, third base and left field. The Angels want him to get accustomed to first base in case of an emergency, but Griffin doesn't want to overload him with too much, because he's still getting acclimated to other positions.

• Calhoun went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs and Freese went 1-for-4 with a homer during a rehab game for Triple-A Salt Lake on Monday. Calhoun has played in four rehab games and Freese has played in three. Both could be activated from the disabled list by Wednesday.

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Skaggs, Feldman square off in AL West matchup By Manny Randhawa

Despite injuries to several key players, including Josh Hamilton and David Freese, the Angels have won eight of their past 11 games to grab sole possession of second place in the American League West. Their starting pitching has carried them, posting a 3.59 ERA through the first 44 games of the season.

The Halos hope that trend will continue on Tuesday night, when they are scheduled to give the ball to left-hander Tyler Skaggs, whose starts they've won seven of eight times. Skaggs did have some trouble in his most recent outing, on May 15 against the Rays, but avoided the loss when Mike Trout hit his first career walk-off homer.

Skaggs will have his work cut out for him with the Astros, as Houston has been red-hot of late, having scored five runs or more (eight twice) in five of its past six contests. Over that span Astros hitters are batting a collective .302.

Houston is scheduled to send right-hander Scott Feldman to the mound. Feldman has pitched well so far, with a 2.63 ERA over his first six starts. He said on Monday that he'll have his hands full, however, with the Angels' lineup.

"They're a very difficult lineup, even with the injuries they've had," Feldman said. "The guys filling in here have stepped in and done a great job."

Feldman has struggled against the Halos. In 23 career appearances (14 starts), he is 5-6 with a 4.97 ERA. He has had recent success against them, however, posting a 2.08 ERA in his last three starts. That includes an April 6 outing in Houston in which he went seven innings, giving up one run on three hits in a 7-4 Astros victory.

Astros: Solid backstops Astros catchers have only allowed one passed ball all season, second in the American League only to the Orioles, who have none. Houston backstops have also only committed two errors in 2014.

"Obviously, [Jason Castro and Carlos Corporan] are working hard, not just to be tough outs in the box but when they're on the defensive end, and it's fun for our pitchers," Feldman said.

"Our catchers have done a tremendous job, not only blocking balls but calling pitches and getting in the right position," manager Bo Porter said. "A lot of it has to do with the confidence our pitchers have in them. But it's also a credit to Castro and Corporan for doing all the things it takes to be a top-notch catcher in this league."

Angels: Cowgill taking advantage Outfielder Collin Cowgill surprisingly sat against an opposing left-hander on Monday, partly because of a tight hip flexor but mostly because he had started 17 of the previous 18 games.

Cowgill has been an everyday player while corner outfielders Kole Calhoun and Hamilton have been on the disabled list, and he's making the most of it. Heading into the three-game series against the Astros,

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the 27-year-old sported a .301/.398/.409 slash line while contributing his typically above-average speed and defense.

He'll probably be in the lineup on Tuesday.

"He's made the most of his opportunity, for sure," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Collin's always been a guy who had some really good tools but never really had an opportunity to get out there and get after it like he has these last three weeks. Safe to say, he's played really well and shown very well in all aspects."

Worth noting • The Angels have led at some point in 12 of their 20 losses. Eight of their last 14 losses have been by one run. • The Astros' 5-2 win over the Angels on Monday was their fifth victory in their last 14 contests with the Halos.

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Astros-Angels Preview By Jeff Mezydlo Continued road success against the Los Angeles Angels has the Houston Astros in position to extend their longest winning streak of the season.

The Astros can secure their third straight winning series in Anaheim with a fourth consecutive victory overall Tuesday night.

Houston (17-28) has been outscored 64-32 while losing nine of 11 at home versus Los Angeles, but owns a 40-23 run advantage while taking seven of eight at Anaheim. Dallas Keuchel came within an out of his second straight shutout and Jason Castro andMatt Dominguez each had two hits with one RBI in a 5-2 victory in Monday's opener of this three-game set.

In the midst of their longest winning streak since a four-game run Sept. 9-13, the Astros are averaging 5.7 runs and batting .302 while winning five of six.

"It's fun right now," Keuchel said. "A lot of people are seeing what we're capable of doing.''

A southern California native, Dominguez is batting .366 with six RBIs in his last 10 games and is 8 for 17 in the last four on the road.

With two hits Monday, teammate Jose Altuve is batting .400 (20 for 50) during an 11-game hitting streak.

The Astros will hand the ball to Scott Feldman (2-1, 2.63 ERA), who allowed a run and three hits in seven innings of a 7-4 home win over the Angels on April 6.

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''I don't think he did anything that we didn't expect,'' Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said after that contest.

The right-hander posted an 8.68 ERA while losing two straight starts at Anaheim with Texas before allowing two runs in six innings while not factoring in a 4-3 defeat there for the Chicago Cubs on June 4. He's yielded two runs and seven hits over 13 innings while not factoring in the decision in his two road starts this year.

Feldman has a 4.91 ERA without a decision in two starts since missing three weeks with biceps tendinitis. He gave up four runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 5-4 victory over the Rangers on Wednesday.

"It's kind of frustrating a little bit, but I kept the team in the game as well as I could," Feldman told the Astros' official website. "We ended up with the win, so that's the main thing."

Batting .450 (9 for 20) with a homer versus Feldman, Howie Kendrick delivered a two-run triple in the ninth as the Angels (24-20) fell for the third time in 11 games.

Teammate Mike Trout had a hit in the opener but is batting .158 in his last 16 games. He hasn't had a multihit game since April 28, and is 1 for 6 versus Feldman.

Scheduled Angels starter Tyler Skaggs (3-1, 4.53) has a 1.57 ERA in winning his three road starts this season, but is 0-1 with a 6.91 ERA in five home outings. He allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings of a 6-5 home victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday.

In the left-hander's only previous appearance against the Astros, Skaggs gave up a run and four hits in eight innings of a 5-1 win April 5.

Altuve and Dominguez went a combined 1 for 5 versus Skaggs in that contest.

Dallas Keuchel pitches Astros past Angels 5-2 By Greg Beacham ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Dallas Keuchel couldn't complain after he got two chances to record the final out for what would have been his second consecutive shutout.

Even though the Houston left-hander barely missed the big finish, he happily settled for another win for the suddenly surging Astros.

Keuchel pitched 8 2-3 innings of dominant five-hit ball, and Houston beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 Monday night for its first three-game winning streak of the season.

Keuchel (5-2) followed up his first career shutout with another gem, striking out eight with just one walk. He didn't allow a runner past second base until the ninth, when manager Bo Porter reluctantly pulled him after two-out singles by Mike Trout and Albert Pujols.

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''I think anybody would want to finish that game, but at the end of the day, we got the win,'' Keuchel said. ''We're playing fun. It's fun right now. A lot of people are seeing what we're capable of doing.''

Porter left Keuchel in after Trout barely beat out a grounder, but the manager returned to pull him after Pujols' hard grounder glanced off Matt Dominguez's glove at third on Keuchel's 128th pitch.

Howie Kendrick followed with a two-run triple off Josh Zeid, who got C.J. Cron on a grounder to end the Angels' third loss in 11 games.

''I don't think you're ever disappointed when you win,'' Porter said. ''Dallas threw the ball tremendous, and we gave him every opportunity to get the complete-game shutout. It didn't happen, but it doesn't diminish what he did.''

Keuchel improved to 5-1 in his last eight starts. He has yielded four runs, 18 hits and one walk over 25 1-3 innings in three straight dominant outings.

He figures it's the best work of his pro career, but not the best of his life.

''I think I had a pretty good stretch in high school,'' Keuchel said.

Jason Castro and Dominguez drove in runs during a three-run first inning for the Astros, who got 10 hits off Garrett Richards (4-1) in the opener of a 10-game road trip.

Dexter Fowler and Chris Carter also drove in runs for the Astros (17-28), who still have the AL's worst record despite six wins in their last eight games.

Keuchel baffled the Angels, whose only hits in the first seven innings were back-to-back singles by Pujols and Kendrick in the fourth.

''We didn't have to do too much but be a spectator,'' said Fowler, who has reached base in 17 straight games. ''When a guy is pitching like that, you just want to make plays to help him out.''

Houston's bats also are improving just in time for a three-game series at Angel Stadium, where the Astros have won seven of their last eight. The Astros have at least nine hits in nine straight games for the first time since June 2007.

Houston Astros' Jason Castro, left, hits a RBI-single off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Ga …

Richards yielded a season-high 10 hits and five runs over seven innings, leaving him with just two wins in his last seven starts despite his impressive record.

''Finding a way to throw seven innings after going through all that in the first three isn't an easy thing to do,'' Richards said. ''I put up some zeros and kept us in the ballgame and gave us a chance to score runs. I think that's part of my maturity and my progression as a starting pitcher.''

Jose Altuve extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a leadoff double in the first. He advanced to third on Richards' major league-leading 10th wild pitch and then scored when Richards comically lobbed a pickoff attempt into left-field foul territory.

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Castro and Dominguez followed with run-scoring singles. Fowler drove in another run with a two-out single in the second, but cost the Astros a second run when he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double while George Springer ran home from first.

''He made some adjustments as the game went on, bringing his two-seamer in and making some pitches to get some double-play balls, which was good to see,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Richards. ''But the damage was obviously done, and we didn't pressure them enough offensively to get back in it.''

NOTES: Fowler drew a walk in his career-best ninth consecutive game, the first Houston player to accomplish that feat since Morgan Ensberg in 2006. ... Angels LHP Hector Santiago, who lost his job in the rotation and hadn't pitched in eight days, retired all six batters he faced in relief. ... Angels opening-day starters Kole Calhoun and David Freese both had extra-base hits during rehab assignments with Triple-A Salt Lake.

FROM THE LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

Angels’ roster could be taking on different look By JP Hoornstra

ANAHEIM >> The Angels’ roster will look different seven days from now. Not unfamiliar, but different.

Four players recovering from injuries — David Freese, Kole Calhoun, Dane De La Rosa and Josh Hamilton, probably in that order — are expected to come off the disabled list sometime within the next week. Third baseman Ian Stewart and pitcher Sean Burnett aren’t expected to need more than a week, if they need a week at all.

That means some tough decisions are on the horizon for the Angels’ front office. Jerry Dipoto said the roster is deeper now than at any point since he was appointed general manager in October, 2011. Grant Green, Efren Navarro and C.J. Cron, all of whom began the season in Triple-A, entered the week batting above .300.

One or more of them could return to Triple-A, but not without a pat on the back. Dipoto singled out the performances of Green, Navarro, Cron and relief pitcher Michael Morin, third baseman Luis Jimenez and outfielder Collin Cowgill.

“They really helped us through a tough time,” Dipoto said.

Jimenez, Navarro, Cron, Cowgill and Green can be optioned to the minor leagues. So can Stewart, thanks to a clause in the contract he signed after making the team as a non-roster invitee in spring training. The 29-year-old veteran is batting .176 with seven extra-base hits and five singles in 68 at-bats.

Raul Ibanez is batting .148 with more RBIs (20) and walks (18) than hits (16). The 41-year-old left fielder/designated hitter can’t be optioned out and is likely to stay in the majors.

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Besides contract status and aptitude at the plate, defensive versatility will go a long way toward determining the future of players on the bubble.

“There’s certainly a component that you need on your roster with versatility,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “I don’t know if it’s going to come down to that, but if a player is versatile it helps his chances to stay on the roster.”

Among the Angels’ relief pitchers, only Kevin Jepsen and Ernesto Frieri are out of options. Hector Santiago has appeared in only two games since losing his spot in the rotation May 2. He could be forced out when De La Rosa or Burnett return. More likely Burnett, since both pitch left-handed.

Scioscia, asked if going to Triple-A to get some starts was an option for Santiago, said, “You’re always evaluating what’s best for a player and what’s best for your roster.”

That could include optioning Matt Shoemaker to Triple-A and skipping his next turn in the rotation Saturday, an option the club hasn’t ruled out.

INJURY UPDATES

De La Rosa is scheduled to resume his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake tonight. He returned to Anaheim last week to get a cortisone shot in his right shoulder, but doesn’t think he will need more than two games before returning.

Calhoun went 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs and Freese went 1 for 4 with a solo home run in Salt Lake’s 15-9 loss.

Burnett threw a scoreless inning for Double-A Arkansas, his fourth consecutive appearance without allowing a run since his rehab assignment began.

ALSO ...

The Angels renewed their affiliation with Triple-A Salt Lake through 2016. ... Cowgill wasn’t in the starting lineup for only the second time since April 28 because of a mild hip flexor strain. ... Former Angels starter Jason Vargas is scheduled to start Sunday for the Kansas City Royals.

Angels have no luck against Astros’ Keuchel in 5-2 loss By JP Hoornstra ANAHEIM >> In an alternate universe where the Seattle SuperSonics still exist and watching out-of-town baseball games is next to free, all of Oklahoma was watching two of its own pitching here Monday night.

Angels starter Garrett Richards (from Edmond) and Houston Astros starter Dallas Keuchel (from Tulsa) go way back. Their birthdays are separated by less than five months and their childhood homes by about 100 miles. Their paths have crossed many times on amateur diamonds, but only twice in the majors.

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Monday’s game was something out of an alternate universe itself. Richards (4-1) barely made it out of the first inning while Keuchel (5-2), who carried a 6.65 ERA in Angel Stadium, fell one out short of a shutout in the Angels’ 5-2 loss.

“He’s throwing the ball great right now,” Richards said of Keuchel. “Good for him.”

Keuchel threw his first shutout of the season six days ago. Only a two-out, ninth-inning rally that began when Mike Trout legged out an infield single prevented another.

After Trout’s single, Astros manager Bo Porter visited the mound but let Keuchel stay in to face Albert Pujols. When Pujols singled off the glove of diving third baseman Matt Dominguez, Porter popped out to pull his starter. It was an act of mercy for the Angels.

Right-hander Josh Zeid entered the game for the Astros and Howie Kendrick promptly drove a triple into the right-field corner. Trout and Pujols scored with the Angels’ only runs of the game.

Considering they trailed 5-0 after three innings, it could have been worse for the Angels.

“We kept chipping away, see if we can’t get something started,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “We got to a point where we had the tying run on deck, which I think shows that we kept playing baseball.”

Three of the Angels’ five hits against Keuchel never left the infield. The other two were singles by Pujols.

The left-hander began the day leading the major leagues in groundball-out rate and stayed true to his reputation. He induced 12 ground-ball outs, only two in the air, and struck out eight batters once. Chris Iannetta was the only Angel who avoided the strikeout.

Iannetta’s base on balls in the third inning was the first issued by Keuchel since May 3. In the eighth inning, Keuchel got revenge by turning Iannetta’s grounder back to the mound into a double play, one of two turned by Houston.

Richards (4-1) allowed 10 hits and five runs, all earned, in seven innings. He walked two batters and struck out one. Given his horrendous start, it was a minor miracle Richards lasted as long as he did.

The right-hander allowed a double, two walks and two singles to start the game. He mixed in an embarrassing error when he threw to third base with Angels third baseman Luis Jimenez standing a few yards away from the bag. It allowed Jose Altuve to walk home from third base.

“Just some miscommunication between me and Chris (Iannetta, the catcher) and Luis on the play,” Richards said. “The play was on but I guess it wasn’t on.”

Houston scored three times in the first inning, then added single runs in the second and third innings to take a 5-0 lead. The score would have been worse if Angels shortstop Erick Aybar hadn’t turned double plays to end the first and third innings.

“There’s a lot of positive things I can take from this game,” Richards said. “Finding a way to throw seven innings after going through that in the first three innings is an amazing thing to do. I think that’s part of my maturity and my progression as a starting pitcher.”

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Hector Santiago pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Angels. It was just his third appearance in the last 18 days.

Altuve’s double to lead off the game extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

FROM SPORTS XCHANGE

Team Report- LOS ANGELES ANGELS ANAHEIM, Calif. While waiting for several key players to return from the disabled list, the Los Angeles Angels are receiving major contributions from their minor league reinforcements. Infielder/outfielder Grant Green, recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on May 3, has made the biggest impact. He is batting .366 (15-for-41) since coming to the Angels and has hit safely in nine of his past 10 games. Green finished 1-for-3 Monday in the Angels' 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros. First baseman/designated hitter C.J. Cron, summoned to Anaheim with Green on May 3, became one of only 11 players in Angels history to hit two home runs in his first 10 games. He also has three doubles and six RBIs. Cron was batting .375 (13-for-35) before going into his current 0-for-10 slump. Infielder/outfielder Efren Navarro, who came to the Angels from Salt Lake on May 9, is batting .318 (7-for-22) with four doubles and two RBIs. Until this year, Navarro had just three hits only one for extra bases in his major league career. Right-handed reliever Michael Morin did not concede a run over his first 8 2/3 innings before Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier hit a two-run home run against him Sunday. Morin arrived from Triple-A on April 25, nine days after moving to Salt Lake from Double-A Arkansas. Baseball America magazine listed Morin as having the best control in the Angels' minor league system. RECORD: 24-20 STREAK: Lost one NEXT: Astros (RHP Scott Feldman, 2-1, 2.63 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Skaggs, 3-1, 4.53 ERA) PLAYER NOTES: LHP Sean Burnett (left elbow surgery in August 2013) pitched one perfect inning in a rehabilitation appearance for Double-A Arkansas on Monday night. Burnett threw 12 pitches, nine of them strikes, and had one strikeout. In five relief outings for Arkansas the past 10 days, Burnett has a 5.79 ERA, but he has made four scoreless appearances since struggling in his debut. OF Kole Calhoun (sprained right ankle) and 3B David Freese (broken right middle finger) continued their rehabilitation assignments Monday with Triple-A Salt Lake. Calhoun went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while Freese hit a solo home run and finished 1-for-4.

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1B Albert Pujols, who went 2-for-4 Monday, is hitting .359 with three home runs and six RBIs in 10 home games this month. Over the past three games, Pujols is 6-for-12 with two home runs, a double and three RBIs. LHP Hector Santiago pitched two perfect innings of relief with one strikeout Monday night. Santiago began the season in the Angels' rotation but went 0-6 with a 5.19 ERA before being sent to the bullpen. He has allowed no hits and no runs in 2 2/3 innings as a reliever. RHP Garrett Richards allowed more than three earned runs for just the second time this season Monday in a 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Richards also allowed 10 hits. Until Monday night, opposing hitters were batting .186 against Richards, the lowest opponents' average in the American League. QUOTE TO NOTE: "He kept the ball down all night. He got some breaking balls under our swings and some changeups that we were out in front of." Manager Mike Scioscia, on Astros LHP Dallas Keuchel, who pitched Houston to a 5-2 win over the Angels on Monday. MEDICAL WATCH: 3B David Freese (non-displaced fracture of right middle finger) went on the 15-day disabled list May 3. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake City on May 17. RF Kole Calhoun (sprained right ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 16. He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on May 16. He could by activated as soon as May 20 if he experiences no setbacks. INF Ian Stewart (left hand bruise) went on the 15-day disabled list May 12. X-rays were negative. He took some swings in the batting cage May 18 and said he felt lingering soreness. LHP Sean Burnett (left elbow surgery in August 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21. He pitched a simulated game April 5 at extended spring training, then resumed throwing April 14 after being shut down for a week. He threw a bullpen session for the second time April 21. He pitched another simulated game April 24. He pitched in extended spring training May 3. He began a rehab assignment with Double-A Arkansas on May 10. RHP Dane De La Rosa (sore right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15. He made four rehab appearances for Triple-A Salt Lake from May 4-10, then shut down the rehab assignment May 14 due to shoulder tightness. He received a cortisone injection May 14, and he threw a bullpen session May 18. OF Josh Hamilton (torn ulnar collateral ligament in left thumb) went on the 15-day disabled list April 9. He underwent surgery April 11. He had the stitches removed and the hard cast replaced by a removable splint on April 18. He hit soft tosses May 7, swinging the bat with one hand. He is expected to be out until late May or early June. RHP Ryan Brasier (right elbow strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 16.

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LHP Brian Moran (left elbow inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 13. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery the week of April 14. May 20 2014 - Sean Burnett LHP Sean Burnett (left elbow surgery in August 2013) pitched one perfect inning in a rehabilitation appearance for Double-A Arkansas on Monday night. Burnett threw 12 pitches, nine of them strikes, and had one strikeout. In five relief outings for Arkansas the past 10 days, Burnett has a 5.79 ERA, but he has made four scoreless appearances since struggling in his debut. May 20 2014 - David Freese 3B David Freese (broken right middle finger) and OF Kole Calhoun (sprained right ankle) continued their rehabilitation assignments Monday with Triple-A Salt Lake. Calhoun went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while Freese hit a solo home run and finished 1-for-4. May 20 2014 - Kole Calhoun OF Kole Calhoun (sprained right ankle) and 3B David Freese (broken right middle finger) continued their rehabilitation assignments Monday with Triple-A Salt Lake. Calhoun went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while Freese hit a solo home run and finished 1-for-4. May 20 2014 - Albert Pujols 1B Albert Pujols, who went 2-for-4 Monday, is hitting .359 with three home runs and six RBIs in 10 home games this month. Over the past three games, Pujols is 6-for-12 with two home runs, a double and three RBIs. May 20 2014 - Hector Santiago LHP Hector Santiago pitched two perfect innings of relief with one strikeout Monday night. Santiago began the season in the Angels' rotation but went 0-6 with a 5.19 ERA before being sent to the bullpen. He has allowed no hits and no runs in 2 2/3 innings as a reliever. May 20 2014 - Garrett Richards RHP Garrett Richards allowed more than three earned runs for just the second time this season Monday in a 5-2 loss to the Houston Astros. Richards also allowed 10 hits. Until Monday night, opposing hitters were batting .186 against Richards, the lowest opponents' average in the American League.

Team Report- HOUSTON ASTROS ANAHEIM, Calif. Two years after making the National League's All-Star team, Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is becoming a more disciplined hitter. Altuve entered the season having struck out 188 times while receiving only 77 walks in his major league career. However, after the Astros' 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, the 24-year-old Venezuelan has 14 walks and just 15 strikeouts in 206 plate appearances this year. "His mental strike zone has gotten better, which is helping his strike-zone discipline," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "He's gotten more at-bats, and he understands now the value of counts, situations, when

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they're OK with walking him, and he's allowing it play out." Playing it out for Altuve means an 11-game hitting streak, tying his career best. During the streak, Altuve is hitting .400 (20-for-50). By going 2-for-4 against the Angels, Altuve raised his average to .305 and moved into a tie with Toronto's Melky Cabrera for the most hits in the American League, 58. By contrast, in 2012, when he was the Astros' only representative for the All-Star Game, Altuve struck out 74 times and walked 40 times while batting .290. "It's been phenomenal," Porter said. "I'm so proud of this guy." RECORD: 17-28 STREAK: Won three NEXT: Astros (RHP Scott Feldman, 2-1, 2.63 ERA) at Angels (LHP Tyler Skaggs, 3-1, 4.53 ERA) PLAYER NOTES: LHP Raul Valdes, 36, was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday for cash or a player to be named. Valdes, who posted a 12.27 ERA in eight games for Houston this year, was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City on May 6. In eight outings for Oklahoma City, he was 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA. CF Dexter Fowler is becoming an offensive dynamo. Since April 28, Fowler is batting .305 (32-for-105). Also, Fowler drew a walk in each of the past nine games the first Astro to do that since Morgan Ensberg in 2006 and he has reached base safely in 34 of his 40 starts. LHP Dallas Keuchel won his third consecutive start Monday night and came within one out of his second successive shutout. In his past eight starts, Keuchel is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA. Until he was charged with two runs in the ninth inning Monday, Keuchel had pitched 20 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. 3B Matt Dominguez has at least two hits in seven of his past 10 games after going 2-for-4 Monday night. Dominguez ranks third among American League third basemen with 42 hits. QUOTE TO NOTE: "That's a very powerful lineup. I was lucky to get into the ninth inning." LHP Dallas Keuchel, who came within one out of throwing his second consecutive shutout. He had to settle for a 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday. MEDICAL WATCH: SS Jonathan Villar (right hand contusion) left the May 18 game, and he didn't play May 19. RHP Anthony Bass (right intercostal strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 11. RHP Jose Cisnero (right elbow discomfort) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 7. He will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery the week of May 19-25.

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RHP Matt Albers (right shoulder stiffness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 22. Albers threw a short bullpen session on May 4. He threw a 25-pitch bullpen session May 6. Albers was unable to throw a simulated game as scheduled May 9, and he was shut down as of May 12. He remained in Houston when the Astros went on the road May 19. RHP Jesse Crain (right biceps surgery in October 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21 and transferred to the 60-day DL on May 2. He was shut down as of April 25 due to bursitis, pushing back the timetable for his return. He was throwing off flat ground as of May 6. RHP Alex White (Tommy John surgery in April 2013) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21. He was pitching in simulated games as of May 6. RHP Asher Wojciechowski (right lat strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 21. He threw first live bullpen session May 6. He could be optioned to the minor leagues when he is healthy. ROTATION: RHP Jarred Cosart RHP Brad Peacock LHP Dallas Keuchel RHP Collin McHugh RHP Scott Feldman BULLPEN: RHP Chad Qualls (closer) RHP Josh Zeid RHP Jerome Williams LHP Darin Downs LHP Tony Sipp RHP Josh Fields RHP Kyle Farnsworth CATCHERS: Jason Castro Carlos Corporan

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INFIELDERS: 1B Jesus Guzman/Marc Krauss 2B Jose Altuve SS Jonathan Villar 3B Matt Dominguez INF Marwin Gonzalez INF Chris Carter OUTFIELDERS: LF L.J. Hoes/Alex Presley CF Dexter Fowler RF George Springer May 20 2014 - Jose Altuve 2B Jose Altuve owns an 11-game hitting streak, tying his career best. During the streak, Altuve is hitting .400 (20-for-50). By going 2-for-4 against the Angels, Altuve raised his average to .305 and moved into a tie with Toronto's Melky Cabrera for the most hits in the American League, 58. Altuve entered the season having struck out 188 times while receiving only 77 walks in his major league career. However, after the Astros' 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, the 24-year-old Venezuelan has 14 walks and just 15 strikeouts in 206 plate appearances this year. "His mental strike zone has gotten better, which is helping his strike-zone discipline," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "He's gotten more at-bats, and he understands now the value of counts, situations, when they're OK with walking him, and he's allowing it play out." May 20 2014 - Dexter Fowler CF Dexter Fowler is becoming an offensive dynamo. Since April 28, Fowler is batting .305 (32-for-105). Also, Fowler drew a walk in each of the past nine games -- the first Astro to do that since Morgan Ensberg in 2006 -- and he has reached base safely in 34 of his 40 starts. May 20 2014 - Dallas Keuchel LHP Dallas Keuchel won his third consecutive start Monday night and came within one out of his second successive shutout. In his past eight starts, Keuchel is 5-1 with a 2.56 ERA. Until he was charged with two runs in the ninth inning Monday, Keuchel had pitched 20 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.