HOUSTON (AP) — After the Los Angeles Angels won their second straight game against the Houston Astros with a shutout on Friday night http://www.raysfanproshop.com/authentic-jonny-venters-jersey , manager Mike Scioscia took a minute to rave about his pitching staff.“The one theme here the last two games is I love the way we’re pitching,” he said. “We need to set a tone on the mound and we did it last night with Andrew (Heaney) and did it again tonight with Jaime (Barria). That’s the foundation that we have to get back to and it was good to see it these last two games.”Andrelton Simmons hit a two-run homer in a three-run sixth inning that led the Angels to the 3-0 win.Barria (9-8) scattered three hits and one walk in six innings to improve to 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA in six starts in August. He was much sharper than his last outing against the Astros last Saturday, when he gave up four runs and five hits in three innings of the Angels’ 8-3 loss.“Looked like the ball was crisper, truer, definitely used his fastball very well on both sides of the plate, had up and down, and had his good slider and change-up going,” Scioscia said. “That’s six strong innings he pitched.”Justin Anderson struck out one in a perfect seventh. Ty Buttrey got into a jam in the eighth inning when Josh Reddick singled with no out before pinch-hitter Tony Kemp gave Houston its first extra-base hit of the night with a double on a liner to right field. Alex Bregman walked with one out to load the bases, but Buttrey struck out Jose Altuve before Carlos Correa popped out to end the inning.Blake Parker allowed one hit and walked one in a scoreless ninth for his 13th save.Houston starter Framber Valdez (2-1) was replaced by Collin McHugh after walking Kole Calhoun to start the sixth inning. An error by McHugh allowed Calhoun to advance to second before a single by David Fletcher sent him to third.Mike Trout’s sacrifice fly put the Angels up 1-0, and Simmons followed one out later with his homer into the left-field seats.The Astros went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position on a night manager A.J. Hinch was ejected for arguing with home plate umpire Eric Cooper between the third and fourth innings as they lost their second straight game.Hinch said he was upset at a couple of calls on pitches to Altuve and that he was taking up for the reigning AL MVP when he approached Cooper.“Cooper is a good umpire and very easy to like, but as he started walking toward Altuve and escalate the argument, I took exception to that,” Hinch said. “In between innings like that, the simplest thing to do is walk away. I said something from the dugout and he turned his attention to me and kicked me out of the game.“I’m defending Altuve every inch of the way Matt Moore Jersey , but it didn’t need to happen,” Hinch continued. “None of it needed to happen. Me getting run out of the game is ridiculous.”The Angels had a chance to add on in the ninth inning when they loaded the bases with no outs. But Hector Rondon sat down the next three batters to leave them empty-handed.Valdez was charged with a run and two hits while walking three in five-plus innings for his first loss after winning his last two games.The Astros had runners at first and third with one out in the third after singles by Martin Maldonado and George Springer, but Barria retired Bregman and Altuve to escape the jam. Correa singled to start Houston’s fourth before Barria retired the last nine batters he faced. He was replaced by Anderson to start the seventh.TRAINER’S ROOMAstros: C Brian McCann (knee surgery) and OF Jake Marisnick (groin) will be activated from the disabled list on Saturday.SIMBA ROARS IN HOUSTONSimmons, whose nickname is Simba, has been great in Houston this season. He is hitting .600 with three homers, a double and 10 homers in four games at Minute Maid Park this season. He’s had success against the Astros at home, too hitting .354 with 14 RBIs in 13 games overall against Houston this season. He’s tied with Oakland’s Khris Davis for the most RBIs against Houston this year.UP NEXTJosh James will be recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Saturday to make his major league debut for Houston against Felix Pena (1-4, 4.52 ERA). The 25-year-old James, who was selected in the 34th round of the 2014 draft, has 171 strikeouts in 23 games with 21 starts combined between Double-A Corpus Christi and Fresno. SAN DIEGO (AP) — A.J. Pollock is regaining his form right when his team needs him most.Pollock homered in the ninth inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Sunday to stay on top of the NL West.Pollock, who missed nearly two months with a thumb injury, drove a 1-2 pitch from Kirby Yates (4-2) over the wall in left for his 16th homer, sending Arizona to its fourth win in five games. Arizona had tied it at 3 on Daniel Descalso’s solo homer off rookie Trey Wingenter in the eighth.“He threw me a fastball earlier in the count that was right there and I just missed it http://www.diamondbacksfanproshop.com/authentic-alex-avila-jersey ,” Pollock said. “I fouled a couple of pitches and he threw the fastball right there and I was able to do some damage.”After getting two hits and driving in two on Saturday night, Pollock is hitting his stride at an opportune time.“He’s an elite player when healthy,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “We can’t do it with just one or two guys, we need everyone and we need A.J. to be A.J.”Archie Bradley (4-4) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win, and Brad Boxberger retired the side in the ninth for his 28th save. The Diamondbacks remained a half-game ahead of second-place Colorado, which won 4-2 at Atlanta.“We know what the stakes are, we know exactly what’s going on in the standings,” Lovullo said. “To separate that out and still execute and come out on top is pretty impressive.”David Peralta homered in the third against San Diego starter Brett Kennedy. Peralta missed Friday’s game due to illness and was limited to pinch-hitting on Saturday, but he collected two hits in the finale of the four-game set.“It was huge, and these are the types of games you have to find a way to win,” Lovullo said. “To get a solo homer in the eighth and a solo homer in the ninth to win it, it was an exceptional win. “Arizona slugger Paul Goldschmidt set a club record by reaching base in 10 straight plate appearances when he was intentionally walked in the first. But he struck out on a foul tip in the third.Hunter Renfroe homered and drove in three runs for San Diego, which has lost seven of its last eight against Arizona at Petco Park.“A.J. Pollock is a really good hitter, and when you miss your spot to a really good hitter http://www.rangersfanproshop.com/authentic-darwin-barney-jersey , sometimes you pay the price,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “I’m sure he’d like to have that one back.”Renfroe hit a two-run shot in the first against Zack Greinke that travelled into the visiting bullpen in left-center and bounced near the newly erected statue of Padres great Trevor Hoffman. Renfroe was later hit on the right forearm by a pitch from Bradley and exited the game in the ninth.Greinke allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.“A lot of it was pretty good, but I got behind in some counts in the first inning,” Greinke said. “Maybe not too great to start that first inning, but after that it was a lot better.”Kennedy pitched five innings in his third career start, allowing two runs and six hits.TRAINER’S ROOMDiamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller, on the 60-day DL with right elbow inflammation, threw from 60 feet on Saturday and felt no discomfort in his arm. It was the first time Miller has thrown since being shut down in July after making just four starts following his return from Tommy John surgery.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: After an off day on Monday, Arizona returns home to face the Los Angeles Angels. LHP Patrick Corbin (10-8, 3.18 ERA) takes the mound for the Diamondbacks, facing the Angels for the first time in his career.Padres: Are off Monday before beginning a three-game series at Colorado. The club has not named a starter for Tuesday’s game against LHP Tyler Anderson (6-5, 4.39 ERA) and the Rockies.