Freeman reaches 2,000 hits, but Dodgers fall to Astros
Alex Bregman produced the winning run with a single in the 11th inning and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 Sunday despite squandering a three-run lead in a game in which homegrown Freddie Freeman reached 2,000 hits.
Bregman’s single to left field drove in Honduran Mauricio Dubon, who scored from middle; Ryan Pressly (2-2) picked up the win and Houston avoided a sweep in the three-game series.
Dominican Jeremy Pena and Cuban Jose Abreu each hit two-run home runs, Hunter Brown worked six solid innings and the Astros earned just their second win in their last nine away games.
Freeman hit two doubles to reach a career high and Mookie Betts fired a home run as the first batter in the bottom of the opening inning, but the Dodgers couldn’t mount a comeback for the second straight game. Yency Almonte (3-1) took the loss.
The Angels, who scored three runs to tie it in the eighth inning off Dominican reliever Rafael Montero, began this offensive onslaught with Freeman’s tow off Betts to become the 295th player to reach the 2,000 home run mark in major league history.
Will Smith tied the score 4-4 with a two-run home run to center field.
Houston’s Corey Julks hit a double as his first at bat in the tenth inning, the ball went to the right side and towed in Pena.
In the bottom of that inning, Betts tied the game 5-5 with a sacrifice fly that drove in Venezuelan Miguel Rojas.
Smith tried to tie the game again in the eleventh inning, but Dubon dove in front, caught the ball and threw out the bunt.
Seth Martinez got his first save when he got Venezuelan David Peralta to ground into a ground ball that ended in an out to end the game.
Houston is 38-9 when scoring at least four runs.
For the Dodgers, Cuban Miguel Vargas went 1-0. Venezuelans Peralta (5-1) and Rojas (4-0).
For the Astros, Honduran Dubón was 5-1, one run scored. Cuba’s Abreu was 5-2, one run scored, two hits. Dominican Peña 5-1, two runs scored, two runs batted in. Puerto Rico’s Martín Maldonado, 4-0.