Jered Weaver gets season-high 12 strikeouts as Angels beat Astros, 5-2

KEY MOMENT: Jered Weaver allowed a leadoff single in the seventh inning, and the next batter moved the runner to second base. The Angels led by just one run. Weaver, though, worked out of trouble and punctuated his night with two strikeouts. With the crisis averted, the Angels would score three runs the next inning to take a commanding 5-1 lead.

AT THE PLATE: Mike Trout’s production alone was enough for Weaver. Trout hit solo home runs in his first two at-bats. He doubled in his third. The fourth time around, the Astros intentionally walked him to load the bases. He finished three for three with three runs and two RBIs. Howie Kendrick also stayed red hot. He added two hits and an RBI and is batting .500 during the winning streak. For the first time in nine tries, the Angels failed to score seven runs, just missing a franchise record. The last team to score at least seven runs for nine straight games was in 2001.

ON THE MOUND: Weaver was masterful in seven innings of work, with a season-high 12 strikeouts. He gave up only four hits and one run and baffled the Astros’ lineup for much of the night. They flailed at pitches that dived out of the zone and stood by as strikes painted the corner. “It was nice to feel like that again,” said Weaver, now 17-8.

HAMILTON UPDATE: Josh Hamilton ran and hit off a tee Saturday, but the status of his right shoulder injury remains unchanged. “Some improvement,” said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, but it is “still open-ended as to when he’s going to be in full baseball activities.”

UP NEXT: Hector Santiago (5-7, 3.38 ERA) will face the Astros’ Dallas Keuchel (10-9, 3.02) today at Angel Stadium at 12:30 p.m. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830