Wilson knows he didn’t get the job done

Reporting from HOUSTON â€”  C.J. Wilson was the first to admit he threw a stinker of a game Tuesday night, giving up six earned runs and six hits, including two home runs, walking three and hitting two batters in four innings of a 10-5 loss to the Houston Astros in Minute Main Park.

“Any time the team scores five runs for me, I feel really good about my chances,� the Angels left-hander said, “but I just sort of dropped that one right in the toilet.�

Wilson (8-8) gave up a solo homer to Carlos Correa in the first and a two-run homer to Chris Carter in the second on a fastball he said he “threw right down the middle.� The two batters he hit in the second both scored, and the one he walked in a two-run fourth scored.

The Angels scored five runs in the first three innings, which included Conor Gillaspie’s RBI double in the first, RBI singles by Gillaspie and Albert Pujols in the second and Chris Iannetta’s homer in the third.

But the Astros, who got three hits and a career-high five RBIs from leadoff man Jose Altuve, scored six in the first four innings and four in the sixth off reliever Mike Morin to pull even with the Angels atop the American League West.

Wilson has been rocked for 34 earned runs in 371/3 innings of his last eight starts against Houston but said those numbers have more to do with his lack of stuff and poor execution on given nights, not a specific opponent. “I didn’t have anything tonight,� Wilson said. “I could’ve lost to the [triple-A] Salt Lake Bees, the way I was throwing the ball.�

The Angels were also shaky on defense. They botched a fourth-inning rundown play that allowed a run to score, second baseman Johnny Giavotella committed an error in the fifth, and Morin failed to cover first on a grounder to the right side in the sixth.

“We’ve been playing good defense,� Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Tonight was just not a good game.�

Roster moves

Triple-A relievers Vinnie Pestano and Jeremy McBryde were designated for assignment to clear 40-man roster spots for newly acquired outfielders David DeJesus and David Murphy.

Left fielder Matt Joyce, whose struggles — he’s hitting .178 with five homers and 21 RBIs — led to Tuesday’s trades, was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list but remained on the club despite no longer having a role.

The Angels also recalled outfielder/first baseman Efren Navarro from triple A and sent third baseman Kyle Kubitza back to Salt Lake.

Up next

Right-hander Garrett Richards (10-7, 3.25 ERA) will Houston right-hander Lance McCullers (4-3, 2.60 ERA) at Minute Maid Park on Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT. TV: FS West, ESPN; Radio: 710, 830, 1330.

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