OC Register: Angels’ deficit grows after loss to Astros in duel between Parker Bridwell, Collin McHugh

[AngelsWin.com]

• Los Angeles Angels’ Cameron Maybin catches a fly ball hit by Houston Astros’ Marwin Gonzalez during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Houston Astros starting pitcher Collin McHugh throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun hits a RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun slides into second base after hitting a RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Kole Calhoun hits a RBI double during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell throws against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Houston Astros starting pitcher Collin McHugh, left, chats with catcher Evan Gattis during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Houston Astros’ George Springer, right, chats with Los Angeles Angels’ Cameron Maybin before a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Houston Astros’ J.D. Davis, center, celebrates his home run in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout walks off the field after striking out during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Houston Astros starting pitcher Collin McHugh throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Albert Pujols is at bat during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell, top, covers home plate as Houston Astros’ George Springer, bottom, scores on a wild pitch by Bridwell during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell, top, jumps to avoid a collision with Houston Astros’ George Springer after Springer scored on a wild pitch by Bridwell during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Cameron Maybin misses a double hit by Houston Astros’ George Springer during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Parker Bridwell, left, covers home plate as Houston Astros’ George Springer scores on a wild pitch by Bridwell during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout reacts after hitting fly ball during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Wearing Spider-man shoes, Los Angeles Angels’ Cameron Maybin stands near first base during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

• Houston Astros players celebrate their team’s 2-1 win against the Los Angeles Angels in a baseball game, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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ANAHEIM — There were 12½ games separating the American League West-leading Astros and the second-place Angels when Houston center fielder George Springer stepped into the batter’s box to face right-hander Parker Bridwell on Friday.

The Angels’ deficit grew by one more game by the time Kaleb Cowart grounded out to complete the Astros’ 2-1 victory in front of 42,333 disappointed customers on Nolan Ryan Bobblehead Night at Angel Stadium.

It seems unlikely the Angels can catch the Astros by season’s end, but with 33 games left, they are in the thick of a wild-and-crazy wild-card race. The Angels were one of six teams within three games of the second wild-card spot, held by the Minnesota Twins going into Friday’s games.

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The Angels lost three times during a four-game series with the Texas Rangers after a 7-2 trip underscored their status as a wild-card contender. So, there was an added sense of urgency as they took the field Friday to face the Astros in the first game of a three-game series.

As if on cue, Mike Trout drew a one-out walk in the first inning, advanced to second base on a passed ball and then scored on Kole Calhoun’s double off the right-field wall to give the Angels an all-too-brief 1-0 lead against Houston starter Collin McHugh.

The Astros tied the score on J.D. Davis’ lead-off homer in the third, slamming the first pitch he saw from Bridwell over the left-field fence for his second of the season. Houston then broke the tie when Springer doubled to start the sixth and then scored on a wild pitch two batters later.

Bridwell (7-2) and McHugh (2-2) gave up little in what passed for an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel. There were no extended rallies, no innings in which either pitcher seemed to be teetering on the edge of disaster. Each team struggled to bundle hits together.

Bridwell retired seven consecutive batters between Alex Bregman’s two-out single in the third and Springer’s sixth-inning double. McHugh retired 12 in a row before yielding a lead-off walk to Trout to start the sixth, departing after a scoreless inning.

Houston manager A.J. Hinch replaced McHugh with former Cal State Fullerton standout Chris Devenski to start the sixth. McHugh gave up three runs and six hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in six strong innings, departing with the Astros leading, 2-1.

Bridwell worked seven innings and probably deserved a better fate. He would have left with a lead if Trout had delivered with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh. Trout popped out on a 3-and-2 pitch from Devenski, drawing groans from Angels fans who had been standing and cheering.

The game got off to an entertaining start with plate umpire Laz Diaz ejecting Alex Cora, the Astros’ bench coach, four batters into the contest. Hinch appeared puzzled by the decision, walking calmly toward Diaz to ask for an explanation. Hinch retreated to the the dugout, apparently satisfied.

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