Astros land last punch in up-and-down game

HOUSTON -- For the Astros, it was the most up-and-down, heart-stopping win of the year. They appeared headed for a gut-wrenching loss Friday night when the Angels scored twice in the top of the 10th, but the fun was still around the corner at Minute Maid Park.

The Astros rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning, with pinch-hitter Robel Garcia floating a single to center field to score Jason Castro from third base for an improbable 5-4 win over the Angels. It was the Astros’ first walk-off victory of the season.

“It was super fun,” said Garcia, who was claimed off waivers from the Angels in February. “It was the first time I had a walk-off so it was a great experience for me, just the trust the manager had in me in that spot and the coaches and teammates, as well.”

Here’s how the win probability swayed back and forth Friday night:

Angels: 58 percent in second inning

Scott Schebler hit a ground-rule double to right field with one out in the second, giving the Angels runners at second and third base. Astros starter Zack Greinke, who pitched out of trouble all game, struck out Anthony Benboom and got David Fletcher to pop out to escape the jam.

“Greinke was Houdini tonight,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “He got out of trouble three different times.”

Astros: 53 percent in fourth inning

Things turned in the Astros’ favor when Greinke recorded a 1-2-3 fourth inning, striking out Jose Iglesias for the final out. With Greinke rolling, the Astros suddenly had their best win probability since the second inning, though the score remained 0-0.

“It was intense,” said Greinke, who gave up two runs in seven innings. “Sometimes it didn’t look very good.”

Angels: 76 percent in fifth inning

An RBI double by Shohei Ohtani finally cracked Greinke, and when Jared Walsh reached on an infield single one out later to score Fletcher from third base, the Angels led, 2-0, and appeared in control of the night behind dominant starter Andrew Heaney.

“Heaney, man, he was dealing,” Baker said. “He was throwing out of that Budweiser sign [in center field] and the right-handed hitters couldn’t pick up the ball.”

Astros: 55 percent in seventh inning

Heaney was pulled after giving up a one-out double to designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, and Yuli Gurriel homered off reliever Aaron Slegers on the next pitch to tie the game and tilt the win probability back in favor of the Astros.

“It was looking bleak for a while until Yuli tied it up,” Baker said.

Angels: 93 percent in the 10th inning

The Angels scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of the 10th inning against reliever Ryan Pressly, taking a 4-2 lead on an RBI single by Albert Pujols. Baker had walked Walsh to get to Pujols, who has haunted the Astros for 20 years with his bat.

“I wasn’t crazy about bringing up Pujols in extras, but Pujols isn’t the same Albert Pujols,” Baker said. “He’s hitting .212 and Walsh is their hottest hitter -- him and Ohtani. In that situation, I chose to pitch to Albert. He had a broken-bat hit up the middle. I didn’t like it but that was what I felt I needed to do in that situation.”

Astros: 63 percent in 10th inning

Castro followed an RBI infield single by speedy Myles Straw with an RBI double to right that hit the line and bounced into the stands, keeping Straw -- the tying run -- from being able to score easily. Carlos Correa’s sac fly tied the game, pushing the win probability to 63 percent and setting the stage for Garcia.

“It’s definitely one of those games that boosts morale and gets everyone fired up again,” Castro said.

Astros: 100 percent

Garcia’s single to center field off Angels closer Raisel Iglesias was only 70.4 mph off the bat, but it was more than enough for the Astros to enjoy perhaps their most thrilling win of the young season. It was the Astros’ first pinch-hit walk-off hit since Tony Kemp on April 27, 2019, against the Indians.

“Everybody talks about exit speed but I talk about exit hits,” Baker said. “I don’t care what they look like, as long as they find some holes and find some grass in the outfield.”