ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — José Soriano pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Logan O'Hoppe hit a pair of two-run shots to end a long home run drought and help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 9-1 on Saturday night.
Soriano (5-5) struck out 10 and allowed one run on three hits and three walks. He has allowed just two runs in his last three starts covering 20 2/3 innings with 28 strikeouts. He hasn't allowed a home run since April 22 — a span of 11 starts.
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Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) dives for a ball on a single hit by Houston Astros Isaac Paredes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (27) avoids a pitch aby the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Los Angeles Angels third base Luis Rengifo (2) makes a catch for the last out in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros in a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano throws against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Los Angeles Angels Logan O'Hoppe, center, celebrates after his two-run home run with teammate Taylor Ward (3) near Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
O’Hoppe hit his 15th homer and first since May 22 in the third inning to give the Angels a 6-0 lead. The catcher capped the scoring with his second of the game in the seventh.
Jo Adell reached with a one-out infield single off Astros rookie Brandon Walter (0-1) in the second and Luis Rengifo followed with his fourth home run for a 2-0 lead.
Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch and Mike Trout singled and scored from first on a double by Taylor Ward for a 4-0 lead.
Jose Altuve walked and scored on a two-out single by Christian Walker in the fourth for the Astros, but the Angels answered in their half when Zach Neto doubled with two outs and scored on Schanuel's single for a 7-1 lead.
Walter allowed seven runs on nine hits in six innings in his fourth career start.
The Angels never looked back after Rengifo homered in the second.
Houston is 3-2 against the Angels this season and leads the overall series 133-85. That includes a 65-45 record at Angel Stadium.
Astros rookie RHP Ryan Gusto (4-3, 4.31 ERA) will start Sunday's rubber game against Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.79).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) dives for a ball on a single hit by Houston Astros Isaac Paredes in the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve (27) avoids a pitch aby the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Los Angeles Angels third base Luis Rengifo (2) makes a catch for the last out in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros in a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher José Soriano throws against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
Los Angeles Angels Logan O'Hoppe, center, celebrates after his two-run home run with teammate Taylor Ward (3) near Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) in the third inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)
ALEPPO, Syria (AP) — First responders on Sunday entered a contested neighborhood in Syria’ s northern city of Aleppo after days of deadly clashes between government forces and Kurdish-led forces. Syrian state media said the military was deployed in large numbers.
The clashes broke out Tuesday in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh and Bani Zaid after the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, the main Kurdish-led force in the country, failed to make progress on how to merge the SDF into the national army. Security forces captured Achrafieh and Bani Zaid.
The fighting between the two sides was the most intense since the fall of then-President Bashar Assad to insurgents in December 2024. At least 23 people were killed in five days of clashes and more than 140,000 were displaced amid shelling and drone strikes.
The U.S.-backed SDF, which have played a key role in combating the Islamic State group in large swaths of eastern Syria, are the largest force yet to be absorbed into Syria's national army. Some of the factions that make up the army, however, were previously Turkish-backed insurgent groups that have a long history of clashing with Kurdish forces.
The Kurdish fighters have now evacuated from the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood to northeastern Syria, which is under the control of the SDF. However, they said in a statement they will continue to fight now that the wounded and civilians have been evacuated, in what they called a “partial ceasefire.”
The neighborhood appeared calm Sunday. The United Nations said it was trying to dispatch more convoys to the neighborhoods with food, fuel, blankets and other urgent supplies.
Government security forces brought journalists to tour the devastated area, showing them the damaged Khalid al-Fajer Hospital and a military position belonging to the SDF’s security forces that government forces had targeted.
The SDF statement accused the government of targeting the hospital “dozens of times” before patients were evacuated. Damascus accused the Kurdish-led group of using the hospital and other civilian facilities as military positions.
On one street, Syrian Red Crescent first responders spoke to a resident surrounded by charred cars and badly damaged residential buildings.
Some residents told The Associated Press that SDF forces did not allow their cars through checkpoints to leave.
“We lived a night of horror. I still cannot believe that I am right here standing on my own two feet,” said Ahmad Shaikho. “So far the situation has been calm. There hasn’t been any gunfire.”
Syrian Civil Defense first responders have been disarming improvised mines that they say were left by the Kurdish forces as booby traps.
Residents who fled are not being allowed back into the neighborhood until all the mines are cleared. Some were reminded of the displacement during Syria’s long civil war.
“I want to go back to my home, I beg you,” said Hoda Alnasiri.
Associated Press journalist Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.
Sandbag barriers used as fighting positions by Kurdish fighters, left inside a destroyed mosque in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Burned vehicles at one of the Kurdish fighters positions at the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
People flee the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
A Syrian military police convoy enters the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
Burned vehicles and ammunitions left at one of the Kurdish fighters positions at the Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood, where clashes between government forces and Kurdish fighters have been taking place in the northern city of Aleppo, Syria, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed)
