over Houston Astros on Wednesday night

HOUSTON -- Garrett Richards followed the worst start of his career with one of his best. He also a truly special inning, striking out the side on just nine pitches. Richards fanned nine to match his major league best, helping the Los Angeles Angels snap a season-worst four-game skid with a 4-0 win over Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Richards (5-2) bounced back from a terrible outing in his last start when he allowed five runs while getting only two outs. It was the shortest non-injury-related start of his career. "I definitely came into this game with a little chip on my shoulder," Richards said. "Last one was embarrassing. And thats not the pitcher I am." In the second, he joined Nolan Ryan as the only Angels pitchers to strike out the side on nine pitches. Ryan did it in 1972. "That was my guy growing up," Richards said. "Its cool. Its cool to be put in a group with a guy like that. I didnt even realize it until after the game." Richards gave up four hits and walked none in eight innings. Of his first 35 pitches, 32 were strikes. Joe Smith struck out one in a hitless ninth. Erick Aybar had two doubles and an RBI and David Freese doubled and drove in a run for the Angels. Jarred Cosart (4-5) allowed eight hits and three runs and tied a career-high with eight strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings. Dexter Fowler had two hits for the Astros, but no one else could get anything going against Richards. Heralded prospect Jon Singleton went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his second major league game after homering in his debut on Tuesday night. Fowlers ground-rule double led things off for the Astros, but Richards retired the next eight batters. Fowler singled with two outs in the third but Jose Altuve grounded into a force out to end the inning. Richard located his pitches well all night, but his control was impeccable early in the game. "Garrett was ready," manager Mike Scioscia said. "I dont know if it was based on the last outing which was obviously tough for him. He just showed great command with all his pitches." Houston manager Bo Porter was impressed. "(He) had electric stuff tonight from the very first pitch until he left the game in the eighth," he said. "He was throwing 95, 96 late in the game with a wipeout slider. That is what you call dominating stuff." Freese doubled with one out in the fifth and C.J. Cron put the Angels on top 1-0 with his RBI single with two outs. Aybar hit a one-out double in the sixth before Albert Pujols drew a walk. Howie Kendrick and Freese hit back to back singles with two outs to stretch the lead to 3-0. The Angels didnt get a hit until Albert Pujols singled with two outs in the fourth inning, but Cosart struck out Josh Hamilton for the third out. Hamilton played centre field on Wednesday night in his second game back from the disabled list with star Mike Trout out again with back problems. Collin Cowgill entered the game as a pinch-runner in the eighth and took over in centre field and Hamilton moved to left. Cowgill preserved the shutout by sprinting to make a catch on the track just before Tals Hill in centre field on a fly ball hit by George Springer for the last out in the eighth. Trout had an MRI on Wednesday and said it didnt reveal any damage. He has some inflammation in the middle of his back on the left side and hopes to return to the lineup on Thursday. Trout missed two games with stiffness in his upper back before starting Tuesday night in Houston. He left that game in the second inning because of his back problem. He said that he feels a lot better on Wednesday than he did when he left the game on Tuesday night. "If I dont feel it at all, Im going to play," he said. "If I feel it a little bit, I should just be smart about it." NOTES: The series wraps up on Thursday when Los Angeles LHP Tyler Skaggs opposes Brad Peacock. ... Houston SS Jonathan Villar was out of the lineup on Wednesday after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch the night before. X-rays were negative and he is day to day. Cheap Falcons Jerseys Authentic .Y. -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire will have less time to remain eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot under changes made Saturday. Tony Gonzalez Jersey . Three days after falling to Hamilton, Abbotsford scored three goals in 53 seconds en route to a convincing 5-1 win over the Bulldogs Saturday in American Hockey League play. http://www.cheapfalconsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-deion-sanders-jersey . Still, its a start. Josh Baileys goal with 1:40 left capped a furious third-period rally, and the Islanders edged the Penguins 4-3 on Friday night. Qadree Ollison Jersey . Ireland was the last unbeaten side in the championship after France fell to Wales on Friday, and was favoured to end a three-match losing run to England with a side with more than twice as many caps, rampant momentum, and added incentive to celebrate Brian ODriscolls world record-tying 139th test cap. Cheap Atlanta Falcons Jerseys . He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 5th. The 34-year-old Laval, Que. native has played six seasons with the Penguins.Brooklyn, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - DeMar DeRozan finished with 26 points and nine assists as the Toronto Raptors defeated the Brooklyn Nets 127-122 for a thrilling overtime victory on Friday. Lou Williams netted 25 points, Amir Johnson had 24 points and seven rebounds and Jonas Valanciunas supplied 14 points and 11 boards for the Raptors, who won their fifth straight win. Brook Lopez and Jarrett Jack each scored a season-high 35 points, with Lopez also grabbing 12 rebounds and Jack tallying 13 assists for the Nets, who have dropped their last four games. After DeRozan knocked down a jumper, Johnsons putback layup gave the Raptors a 120-117 edge with 1:41 to go in the extra session, but Lopezs three-point play tied the game on the next possession. DeRozan then hit a runner and was fouled, but missed the ensuing free throw. Jack went down the court and tied the game again on a floater with 56.6 seconds left. Mason Plumlee then blocked DeRozan on a layup attempt, but Amir Johnson was there for another putback. After Jack missed a jumper and Bojan Bogdanovic a trey, Brooklyn was forced to foul. DeRozan knocked down two free throws and Kyle Lowry split a pair to seal the win. Brooklyn roared in front during the fourth quarter as Plumlee and Jack each knocked down a pair of free throws to end a 12-0 run for a 97-93 score with 6:35 to play. Williams fadeaway jumper made it a one-point game and Johnssons free throws put the Raptors ahead 109-108 with 1:28 remaining.dddddddddddd After Patterson countered Bogdanovics two free throws with a tip shot, Johnson hit a jumper to give Brooklyn a one-point edge with 33.5 seconds to go. Lopez split a pair from the charity stripe, but Johnson dunked to tie the game at 113-113 with 12.1 to play. Jack was stripped of the ball while driving through the lane and Lopezs shot off the inbounds clanked off the rim at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. The Raptors jumped out to a 12-0 lead less than four minutes into the game and led 29-23 at the end of the first quarter. Brooklyn vaulted in front after Lopez scored five straight points and Jack followed with a jumper and a pair of free throws, but Williams made four foul shots and Valanciunas layup capped an 8-0 run as the Raptors took a nine- point lead. They led 66-54 at halftime. Toronto was ahead 76-59 after Valanciunas hit a turnaround jumper and then a hook shot at 8:03 of the third frame. Jack netted eight of the Nets final 10 points as they trailed 90-82 going into the final stanza. Game Notes Nets guard Deron Williams missed his 11th straight game with a rib injury ... Brooklyn has lost its last seven games at home for the first time since the franchise were winless in New Jersey on Feb. 3-22, 2012 ... The two teams will meet again in Toronto on Feb. 4. 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