Neto's 7-RBI Blast Powers Angels to 18-3 Rout of Astros

Turning Point

The Los Angeles Angels dismantled the Houston Astros on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Daikin Park, winning 18-3. The decisive blow came in the fifth inning when Neto homered to center, driving in three runs and extending the Angels' lead to 14-2. This multi-run blast, which traveled 428 feet, marked the high point of a performance where Neto finished with five hits and seven RBIs.

Game Flow

The Angels established an early lead in the first inning, taking a 1-0 advantage before Houston tied the game at 1-1. The Astros briefly took the lead 2-1 in the top of the first, but the Angels responded immediately in the bottom half of the second inning.

Grissom and Heineman scored to give Los Angeles a 3-2 edge, followed by a sacrifice bunt that pushed the lead to 4-2.

Houston managed to pull within one run at 5-2 in the fourth inning, but the Angels exploded for eight runs in that frame alone. Ballesteros, Grissom, and Neto all contributed to the surge, which included a double by Grissom that scored two runs.

The Angels added more insurance in the fifth and seventh innings, with Neto's home run and a double in the seventh adding two more runs.

Pitching and Records

Grayson Rodriguez earned the win for the Angels, pitching seven innings of scoreless ball while striking out six batters and allowing five hits. He was followed by Blake Weiman, who pitched two innings, allowing one run on three hits.

For the Astros, Peter Lambert took the loss, lasting three and two-thirds innings while allowing nine earned runs on eight hits. Bryan King, Tatsuya Imai, and LaMonte Wade Jr. shared the remaining innings, collectively allowing 15 earned runs on 16 hits. The Angels improved to 51-77, while the Astros fell to 64-64. Attendance at Daikin Park was 20,934.

Sources

https://www.espn.com/mlb/game/_/gameId/401816605