Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Christian Walker throws his bat down after striking out during the first inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Ramón Urías hits a home run during the second inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Ramón Urías, right, celebrates with teammates Jose Altuve (27) and Carlos Correa after hitting a home run during the second inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Ramón Urías celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during the second inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve hits an RBI double during the third inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve runs up the first base line after hitting an RBI double during the third inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Jo Adell hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Jo Adell hits a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Jo Adell begins to jog around the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Jo Adell celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Jo Adell, right, celebrates with third base coach Bo Porter as he runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Jo Adell, right, celebrates with teammate Mike Trout after both scored on Adell’s home run during the fourth inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Luis Garcia wipes his face as he walks to the dugout after the top of the fourth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Ramón Urías hits an RBI single during the fourth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Ramón Urías hits an RBI single during the fourth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve, left, is tagged out by Angels first baseman Niko Kavadas during the fifth inning on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa hits an RBI single during the fifth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa celebrates after hitting an RBI single during the fifth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña hits an RBI double during the sixth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jeremy Peña (3) celebrates at second base after hitting an RBI during the sixth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angels star Mike Trout watches from the dugout during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Angels’ Zach Neto reacts after hitting a line out to Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña during the eighth inning on Monday in Houston. The Angels lost the finale of the four-game series, 8-3. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Cam Smith (11) steals second base as Angels shortstop Zach Neto, left, reaches for the throw in front of second baseman Chris Taylor (33) during the eighth inning on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez hits an RBI single during the eighth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Angels relief pitcher Brock Burke wipes his face after giving up a two-run home run to the Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve during the eighth inning on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve (27) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run as Angels catcher Travis d’Arnaud kneels behind home plate during the eighth inning on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve, left, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve celebrates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run during the eighth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel throws to the plate during the ninth inning of a game against the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel celebrates after the final out of the ninth inning in an 8-3 victory over the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Astros relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, right, and Yainer Diaz celebrate after an 8-3 victory over the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve, left, and Jeremy Peña celebrate after an 8-3 victory over the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
The Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve, left, and Yordan Alvarez celebrate after an 8-3 victory over the Angels on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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Angels starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Houston Astros on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
HOUSTON — The Angels were having a good day for about 10 minutes.
Zach Neto and Jo Adell hit a pair of home runs in a span of four batters in the fourth inning, giving the Angels a brief one-run lead.
Everything that happened before and after that was bad, as the Angels lost to the Houston Astros, 8-3, on Monday afternoon.
The Angels (64-73) got out of Houston with a split in the four-game series, which was an accomplishment considering that they scored 10 runs in the series.
“Two and two doesn’t feel great, especially when you have opportunities to take the series,” interim manager Ray Montgomery said. “We played a little better, but we still have some things we just have to continue to work on.”
The Angels managed only seven hits on Monday, and they did not have an at-bat with a runner in scoring position until there was one out in the ninth and they were down by five. By contrast the Astros put themselves into scoring position by stealing second five times, and they sprayed 12 hits all over the field, including two homers.
Starter Yusei Kikuchi had his second straight poor outing, allowing five runs one start after giving up six.
The way the Angels are hitting, they couldn’t overcome Kikuchi’s performance.
The Angels have hit .186 over the past 13 games, averaging just 2.5 runs per game.
“You’ve just got to keep emphasizing what we’re trying to do,” Montgomery said. “You know, battling in the at-bat, maybe just trying to extend some at-bats too. We know how we’re built. We’ve talked about it all year. We’re built on the home run. But that doesn’t mean you can play solely that way. So guys can extend ABs any way they can and look to shoot some holes. We had some good ABs, but didn’t come through.”
It hasn’t helped that they’ve played the last week without first baseman Nolan Schanuel, who leads the team with a .266 batting average and is the toughest hitter in the lineup to strike out. On Monday, they also didn’t have Taylor Ward, who was recovering from a collision with the outfield wall on Sunday. Third baseman Yoán Moncada has a sore shoulder.
“We threw a lineup out there that we thought could win,” Neto said. “Of course we want all those guys in the lineup, but we can’t make an excuse. We have to go out there and play. I feel like we had a shot to win the game. We just came up short.”
The best players remaining were Neto and Adell, and their homers provided the only runs of the day.
Neto led off the fourth with his 25th homer of the season.
Mike Trout, who is showing signs of emerging from his slump, hit a ball off the wall, for a single, later in the inning. The three-time American League MVP extended his homer drought to 21 games, his longest in 10 years.
Adell’s 31st homer of the season drove in Trout and briefly put the Angels ahead, 3-2.
The three runs could have been good enough if the Angels had gotten the kind of starting pitching they did in the first three games of the series, but Kikuchi was not effective.
Kikuchi said after his last start that he was experimenting with a new grip, which he abandoned for this outing.
On Monday, the Astros had a steady stream of baserunners against him, with eight hits and two walks. They scored single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. They added one in the sixth after Kikuchi was pulled.
“I think I had really good stuff today,” Kikuchi said through his interpreter. “It’s just probably pitch selection that did me in. I think this stuff is there, so I think I’m close to where I want to be.”
By “pitch selection,” Kikuchi said he was referring to what he did when he was ahead in the count.
“Maybe getting too much of the zone when I got to two strikes,” Kikuchi said. “I think I could have executed a little better.”
The bullpen didn’t help after Kikuchi was pulled. Right-hander Chase Silseth allowed one of Kikuchi’s runs to score. Left-hander Brock Burke, who hadn’t allowed a run since July 23, gave up three in the eighth, two on a José Altuve homer.
The three-run inning against Burke that put the game away included the Angels mishandling a pickoff. Both Neto and second baseman Chris Taylor came together at the bag to take a throw from first baseman Oswald Peraza, and the Angels didn’t get the out.
“We were still in that game,” Montgomery said. “A couple of better decisions, maybe with pitches, and then if we handle the ball a little bit cleaner, I think you might have had a different outcome. But overall, I like the way the guys battled.”
Originally Published: September 1, 2025 at 2:10 PM PDT