ANAHEIM, Calif. Larry Bird Celtics Jersey . -- David Freese is starting to pick up his run production, which is something the Los Angeles Angels have been waiting half a season to see. Freese hit a two-run double, Matt Shoemaker pitched in and out of trouble for six innings, and the Angels beat the Houston Astros 5-2 Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series. Freese has six RBIs in his last five games, two more than he had in the previous 27 games in which he had an at-bat. "Weve been talking about David for a while, and we need him," said manager Mike Scioscia, who has kept Freese in the bottom third of the batting order since June 17. "Hes a guy that potentially deepens the middle of your lineup. He hasnt gotten off to a good start, and were at the halfway point. "Hopefully hes finding a comfort level. I think the last 30 or so at-bats hes been driving the ball a little bit better." Shoemaker (6-2) allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks, and worked with runners on base in every inning. The right-hander, who began the season in the bullpen, gave up eight runs and 11 hits in four innings on Friday in a loss at Kansas City. He had been 5-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his seven previous starts this season. "It was a successful outing, but a little bit of a struggle," Shoemaker said. "I had to make some big pitches to get out of some jams, and the defence picked me up huge, making some big plays. It was a positive thing to bounce back from that outing to this one." Shoemaker had seven strikeouts against the Astros, giving him 57 through his first 10 big league starts. That broke the franchise record of 56 set by Bo Belinsky in 1962. "He has it in his game, thats for sure," Scioscia said. "If you look at his career in the minor leagues, he has struck out his share of guys. But you never know how a guys stuff is going to play in the major leagues until he gets an opportunity. "Shoe definitely has some out pitches and some pitches that he can get strikeouts with. But the best games hes going to throw are going to be the ones where hes in the zone early with good stuff and changing speeds and maybe getting some easier outs. He had to work hard to get through six innings." Jason Grilli, obtained from Pittsburgh on Friday, pitched a scoreless eighth in his home debut, and Joe Smith worked a hitless ninth for his 10th save. The Angels have won seven straight at home, their longest streak since another seven-game stretch in August 2006. Brett Oberholtzer (2-7) gave up five runs, nine hits and three walks over 6 1-3 innings in his third start since getting recalled from Triple-A on June 28. He was 0-6 with a 5.68 ERA in his first seven starts before back-to-back victories over Seattle and Baltimore. After the game, he was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Oberholtzer was bailed out by inning-ending double plays in the second and third innings, after giving up Howie Kendricks RBI single in the first. Mike Trout was doubled off second base in the third after rookie left fielder Enrique Hernandez made a diving catch of Albert Pujols sinking liner, but the Angels scored four runs in the fourth to grab a 5-2 lead. C.J. Cron tied it with an RBI single, and Freese doubled to right-centre, the fourth straight one-out hit. Freese scored on Chris Iannettas sac fly. Houston took a 2-1 lead in the third. Jose Altuve doubled after a leadoff walk to No. 9 hitter Marwin Gonzalez, Jason Castro singled off the glove of first baseman Pujols to drive in the Astros first run, and Altuve scored on a grounder by Springer. Shoemaker retired Dominguez on a double-play grounder after a walk to Singleton. "Its just tough, not scoring runs when you have situations with men on base early in the game where you can jump on a team," designated hitter Chris Carter said. "Were in a little rough patch now, but I think well be better the rest of the series." Altuve, who had three hits, leads the AL in batting (.347) and stolen bases (37). The only players who finished a season atop the league in both categories were Ty Cobb (1909, 1911 and 1917), George Sisler (1922), Snuffy Stirnweiss (1945) and Ichiro Suzuki (2001). "Hes definitely a phenomenal hitter and hes tough to get out, so you have to mess up his timing and make good pitches," Shoemaker said. NOTES: Scioscia earned his 1,281st regular-season victory, tying Whitey Herzog for 34th place on baseballs career list. Scioscia reached the mark in 57 fewer games. ... RHP Josh Fields will be reinstated from the disabled list on Friday to fill Oberholtzers roster spot. ... It was the 44th anniversary of the first no-hitter at the "Big A," thrown by Clyde Wright against Oakland. ... The Astros are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the majors worst record (36-51). ... Houston is 0 for 44 when trailing after eight innings. ... The Astros became the final team this season to draw one million spectators on the road. Boston Celtics Jerseys . And rest hardly led to rust for the two-time defending NBA champions. Jaylen Brown Celtics Jersey . Coaches are now allowed to challenge both called and potential defensive pass interference fouls under certain conditions. http://www.authenticcelticsproshop.com/Robert-Williams-Jersey/ . Winners of two straight, the Flames will try to become the first team in 25 years to go three consecutive games without taking a penalty Saturday night in San Jose.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Watching from the bullpen as journeyman Collin McHugh carved up the Kansas City lineup, Astros reliever Tony Sipp only wished he had a bucket of popcorn and a soda. "Its like watching a good movie," Sipp said, "and you dont want to mess up the ending." After McHugh held the light-hitting Royals at bay over seven innings, Sipp and Chad Qualls provided an appropriate ending. They worked the final two innings without allowing a hit in a 3-0 victory Tuesday night that gave Houston its first four-game winning streak since September. The Astros own the worst record in the AL, but have won four in a row on the road for the first time since taking six straight away from Minute Maid Park last May 29-June 3. "I mean, I think were playing hard," said McHugh, who is already on his third big league team in three seasons. "Were coming to play every day, and were putting together a few games here." Houston rookie George Springers homer streak ended at four games. He hit two flyballs to the warning track and finished 1 for 4. Matt Dominguez hit an RBI single in the fourth, and the Astros tacked on two more runs against Tim Collins in the eighth. "Thats what you call an extremely well-played baseball game," Houston manager Bo Porter said. McHugh (3-3) scattered five hits while striking out nine without issuing a walk to earn his first win in five starts. He stranded a runner at third base in the second inning and runners at second and third in the fifth, but otherwise cruised through the Kansas City lineup. The only run Jeremy Guthrie (2-4) allowed came when Dominguez followed up a pair of one-out walks to Dexter Fowler and Jason Castro with a single in the fourth inning. Guthrie left after allowing seven hits and three walks in six innings. The right-hander dodged plenty of trouble, inducing doubble-play grounders in the third and fifth, but still got stuck with his fourth straight loss. Kevin Mchale Jersey. . His last win came April 9 against Tampa Bay. During a nine-start winless streak, Guthrie has allowed just one run on three occasions. The Royals lost for the sixth time in their last eight games, and their pop-gun offence has had a lot to do with the futility. Kansas City has been held to three or fewer runs in four of its last five games, including the 9-2 pounding that Houston dished out on Monday night. Royals manager Ned Yosts frustration boiled over in the sixth inning. He went out to check on Guthrie with the bases loaded and two outs, and was returning to the dugout after their discussion when plate umpire Kerwin Danley met him near the mound. After saying something to Danley, Yost was immediately ejected. "I got frustrated on some calls I thought Jeremy should have got. Its mostly my fault," said Yost, who was tossed for the second time this season. Meanwhile, McHugh continued to slice up the Royals batting order. He struck out designated hitter Billy Butler twice, silenced Eric Hosmers bat and retired the last eight hitters he faced. It was the fourth time the Royals have been shut out this season. "You dont lose confidence, but youre definitely frustrated," Hosmer said. "We definitely should be putting up a better fight. As an offence as a whole, we should be putting up a better performance than that. Were not getting the job done." NOTES: Royals RHP Yordano Ventura will miss his next start due to a valgus extension overload, a condition that causes pain in the elbow. He left Monday nights game in the third inning. An MRI on Tuesday came back negative. ... The Astros left 11 runners on base. ... Houston RHP Jarred Cosart is slated to start Wednesdays series finale. LHP Danny Duffy is on the mound for Kansas City. ' ' '