Wesneski wins first start in 15 months as Astros hit .500
Hayden Wesneski earned his first win since May 2025 as the Houston Astros climbed back to .500 with a 7-4 victory over the Angels on Wednesday in Anaheim. Homers from Yainer Diaz and Jeremy Peña fueled the come-from-behind sweep, putting Houston at 55-55 after eight wins in nine games.
Key Takeaways
- Hayden Wesneski won his first Major League start since May 6, 2025, returning from Tommy John surgery.
- The Astros beat Los Angeles 7-4, sweeping the series at Angel Stadium and reaching 55-55.
- Yainer Diaz and Jeremy Peña hit solo homers, and Cam Smith's two-run double keyed a three-run sixth.
- Houston is 35-24 since a season-worst 20-31 mark and next hosts the first-place Rangers.
How did Wesneski fare in his first start in nearly 15 months?
Pitching in a Major League game for the first time since May 6, 2025, Wesneski endured a rough opening frame. The Angels scored three runs on four hits in the first inning.
He settled in enough to go 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and seven hits while striking out four and walking two. He threw 52 of 79 pitches for strikes and fell one out shy of a quality start, according to MLB.com.
Wesneski became the 15th starting pitcher used by Houston this season, the most in baseball. The outing still delivered his first win since returning from Tommy John surgery.
How did the Astros climb back from an early deficit?
Diaz answered with a solo homer in the second, and Peña matched him with a solo shot in the third. The Astros then seized the lead with three runs in the sixth.
Cam Smith's two-run double was the highlight of that rally, ending an 0-for-13 drought. The offense turned a first-inning hole into a 7-4 come-from-behind win that completed the series sweep in Anaheim.
The night before, Yordan Alvarez had delivered a two-out RBI single in the ninth for a 3-2 win, setting up Wednesday's finale and Wesneski's activation off the 60-day injured list.
Why does getting back to .500 matter for these Astros?
Houston reached the .500 mark for the first time since it was 6-6 entering play on April 8. The club had slipped to a season-worst 11 games under .500 at 20-31 as of May 21.
Since that low point, the Astros are 35-24. Wednesday's result was their eighth win in the past nine games, a surge that suddenly puts them back in the thick of the American League race.
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What's next after the series sweep in Anaheim?
Momentum carries into a big weekend series at Daikin Park against the first-place Texas Rangers, beginning Friday. It is the final meeting of the season between the Lone Star rivals.
Houston needs one win to clinch the season series, a result that could matter later for tiebreakers. After grinding back to even, the Astros now get a direct look at the team they are chasing in the AL West.