ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Even after a late flight home from Texas led into an early three-run deficit, the Los Angeles Angels incredible late-season offensive barrage still wouldnt stop. David Freese hit a two-run homer and Mike Trout had an RBI triple during Los Angeles seven-run fifth inning, and the Angels beat the Houston Astros 11-3 Friday night for their ninth consecutive victory. Kole Calhoun had a tiebreaking, two-run single in the fifth for the major league-leading Angels (92-55), who began their final homestand by reducing their magic number to five for their first AL West title since 2009. They lead spiraling Oakland, which lost 4-2 in Seattle, by 11 games with 15 to play. "Were just playing good baseball," said Calhoun, who had his 12th three-hit game of the season. "Confidence is huge, and it just seems like were all playing together. Theres never a panic mode. Its been fun coming to the yard every day." Trout had an RBI double in the fourth and Howie Kendrick added a two-run double in the sixth for Los Angeles. The Angels have won 15 of 17 overall, highlighted by their longest winning streak since August 2004. After a slow start in their first game back from a 10-day, four-city road trip, the Angels obliterated Houstons early 3-0 lead with another eye-popping night from the majors most productive offence. Los Angeles has scored at least seven runs in eight consecutive games, matching the 1979 franchise record. "Its certainly a good time for it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "They cracked the door open for us a little bit, and then (we got) just some key hits all the way around." The Angels scored 70 runs during their eight-game road streak, and they increased that crazy offensive pace in their return to the Big A, trouncing the only team that has beaten them since Aug. 25. The Astros took two straight from Los Angeles early last week. Brett Oberholtzer (5-11) couldnt get through the fifth for the Astros, who had won eight of 10. "Theyre a good team, and theyre on a roll," Houston interim manager Tom Lawless said. "Theres no doubt about that. So if we dont play a clean game ... we made a miscue here, we made a miscue there, and they just took advantage of it. Thats what good teams do." The Angels had seven hits in the fifth, scoring their first run of the inning when Jake Marisnick dropped Collin Cowgills fly ball in right for an error. Calhoun, Trout and Albert Pujols all drove in runs before Freeses eighth homer, his second in 42 games. "I just missed it," Marisnick said. "I just dropped it. The ball has got to be caught. It was a big point in the game and it gave them some momentum." C.J. Wilson (12-9) struggled just to reach the fifth, but the Angels offence secured his second straight victory. The inconsistent left-hander gave up seven hits and struck out six. Marisnick, from nearby Riverside, got a 20-foot RBI single in the first inning when Wilson and catcher Chris Iannetta couldnt field his bases-loaded topper cleanly. Los Angeles maintained its four-game lead over Baltimore (88-59) for the majors best record. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED Robbie Grossman reached first in the fourth inning when Lawless successfully challenged a call for the first time as the Astros manager. Replays showed C.J. Cron hadnt applied a tag after catching an errant throw from Erick Aybar. Grossman came around to score on Dexter Fowlers double. BEARD AND WEIRD Before the game, Angels President Tim Carpino donned a fake black beard as he presented the AL pitcher of the month award to right-hander Matt Shoemaker. The executives phoney facial hair was even bigger than Shoemakers tonsorial trademark. Several Angels reserves also wore fake beards for a group photo with Shoemaker. TRAINERS ROOM Angels: Cleanup hitter Josh Hamilton missed his eighth straight game with an injured right shoulder, and the offence again didnt miss him. The 2010 AL MVPs return is still uncertain. ... LHP Joe Thatcher was activated from the disabled list after a six-week absence with a sprained ankle. UP NEXT Astros RHP Scott Feldman (8-10, 3.99 ERA) starts the middle game of the series against RHP Jered Weaver (16-8, 3.58), who looks for his AL-leading 17th win. Buffalo Sabres Jerseys . Still, Encarnacion felt a sense of relief. He felt a pop just before crumpling to the ground after running out a groundball in the first inning of Saturdays game. It could have been worse. “Its going to take maybe two weeks,” said Encarnacion. “It depends how Im going to be and how Im going to be day after day, feeling better or not. Alexander Mogilny Jersey . The thunderous cheers quickly changed to an appreciative chant: "Ma-son! Ma-son! Ma-son! Headed to New York with new life, Mason sure earned this curtain call. http://www.officialsabresfanstore.com/au...bres-jersey/.ca. Mr. Fraser, It looks like Martin Brodeur is coming back to play for the Blues. I was wondering if you have any great stories or fond memories of your time on the ice with Brodeur - in the NHL, or maybe even the Olympics. Jeff Skinner Jersey .200. His solution to his hitting woes was business in the front and a party in the back."That would be a mullet," Norris says. Dominik Hasek Jersey . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s.MANCHESTER, England -- Manchester City stayed alive in the English Premier League title race by beating West Bromwich Albion 3-1 thanks to first-half goals by three Argentines on Monday. Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero struck in the opening 10 minutes at Etihad Stadium to set third-place City on its way to a victory that trimmed the gap to league leader Liverpool to six points, with a game still in hand. Graham Dorrans spectacular 16th-minute volley halved West Broms deficit but Martin Demichelis bundled in a close-range finish in the 33rd to help secure a routine win for City that was marred by a second-half injury to its playmaker David Silva. The Spain international was carried off on a stretcher after receiving a knock to his right ankle, which has been causing him pain for the last few weeks. City, which moved a point behind Chelsea, likely has to win its final four matches if the team has any chance of reeling in Liverpool. "We always talk with the players that if Liverpool win their (last) three matches and win 14 in a row, they will be champions," City manager Manuel Pellegrini said. "Our duty is to try to win the games and in that way Liverpool can feel pressure." Pellegrinis side rediscovered the creativity and bite to its forward play that was lacking in last weeks 2-2 draw with Sunderland that severely dented its hopes of catching Liverpool. Much of that can be put down to the return of Silva, who prompted many of Citys attacks in the opening blitz that proved too much for West Brom, before being taken off in the 69th with his right leg in a brace following an innocuous challeenge by Morgan Amalfitano.dddddddddddd "His injury started with a kick some weeks ago and every week he plays in the last game with pain," Pellegrini said of Silva. With City facing upcoming trips to Crystal Palace and Everton, a long injury absence for Silva would be a huge blow to the teams title aspirations. By the time he departed, the damage had been done by Citys three Argentines. Zabaleta stooped to head home a rebound inside three minutes after Agueros shot was palmed out by West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster, and Aguero buried a low shot into the corner from 25 metres in the 10th for his first goal since Jan. 29. Like against Sunderland, the striker lasted only around an hour as he looks to return to full fitness after a hamstring injury. Dorrans finished off a fast counterattack, which had its origins in a botched free kick by City close to West Broms area, by twisting and turning Gael Clichy and letting fly with a fierce volley that crashed into the net off the post. However, Demichelis restored the two-goal lead after receiving the end of Vincent Kompanys flick-on from Samir Nasris corner and West Brom rarely threatened in the second half. "The first half I think we played very well, we scored three goals and we had clear chances," Pellegrini said. "It was the team we see the whole season at the Etihad." City climbed four points clear of fourth-place Arsenal but will be looking up in the standings, not below, as it goes in search of a second title in three years. West Brom stayed 16th, three points above the relegation zone with four games remaining. ' ' '