Garrett Richards, Chris Iannetta lead Angels past Astros, 3-1

KEY MOMENT: The Angels had the bases loaded with one out in the fifth inning and Chris Iannetta at the plate. Iannetta, who began the game hitting .091, didn’t go deep, he went shallow. He dribbled a ground ball 40 feet from the plate. Pitcher Scott Feldman fielded the ball and threw wildly to the plate, allowing two runs to score. Iannetta was credited with a hit and a run batted in. The Angels scored three runs in the inning, the last on Kole Calhoun’s sacrifice fly.

AT THE PLATE: The Angels continued to labor at the plate. They had only six hits, but four came in a three-run fifth inning. David Freese and Erick Aybar each had two hits. Each had a single in the fifth and scored on Iannetta’s swinging bunt.

ON THE MOUND: Angels relievers, who provided six hitless innings Saturday, were strong again. Fernando Salas came in with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning and got pinch-hitter Evan Gattis to pop up on the first pitch. Joe Smith worked a 1-2-3 eight inning on nine pitches and handed the game over to Huston Street, who had blown save opportunities Wednesday and Thursday. Street blew through the Astros in the ninth inning for his 285th save. “Those were seven big outs,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Fernando probably got the biggest one of the day, getting Gattis with the bases loaded. Joe looked really good in the eighth and Huston looked very comfortable. He used all his pitches and gave us a clean ninth inning.”

IN THE FIELD: Third baseman Luis Valbuena robbed the Angels of a run in the third inning. With a runner on third base and two outs, he made a diving stop of a sharply hit ball by Johnny Giavotella and threw him out at first.

IN THE MINORS: Nick Tropeano threw seven innings for triple-A Salt Lake in a 9-2 victory over Reno on Sunday. He gave up two runs and struck out five batters. Tropeano threw six scoreless innings to beat Oakland as a spot starter April 23.

UP NEXT: C.J. Wilson (1-2, 2.70 ERA) will oppose Colorado’s Kyle Kendrick (1-4, 8.73) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Angel Stadium. TV: FS West; Radio: 830.

—Chris Foster