HOUSTON -- Luis Garcia returned to a Major League mound for the first time in 28 months and threw six innings to lead the Astros to an 8-3 victory over the Angels and a split of the four-game series at Daikin Park on Monday afternoon.

Garcia, pitching for the first time since May 1, 2023, retired the Angels in order in every inning but the fourth, when he gave up a leadoff homer to Zach Neto and a two-run homer to Joe Adell. He needed just 79 pitches to secure his quality start, topping out at 93.2 mph, and struck out six without issuing a walk to pick up the win.

The Astros scored one run in five consecutive innings against Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi, beginning with a solo homer by Ramón Urías in the second. Carlos Correa’s RBI single in the fifth broke a 3-3 tie, and Jeremy Peña

See Full Page