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. Adidas Superstar ελλαδα . -- Theres been so much talk about Mike Moustakas at the plate that the third baseman ignored the conversation Wednesday -- even after doing something positive. Adidas Falcon ανδρικα . The whole deflation of New England Patriots footballs is like a murder mystery without the violence or significance. On one side, this is a ridiculous issue. http://www.nmdgreece.com/adidas-superstar-greece.html . Particularly when speaking in the stadium of Tuesdays opponent: Manchester City. "Maybe they dont fear us as before," Pique said on Monday, "because in the last two years we didnt win the Champions League. Adidas Falcon ελλαδα . - A mixed martial arts fighter who changed his name to War Machine was ordered Friday to stand trial in Nevada state court on 34 felony charges including attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping that could get him life in prison for allegedly attacking his porn star ex-girlfriend and her friend. Adidas Superstar γυναικεια ασπρα .com) - Joe Pavelski scored twice to lead the San Jose Sharks in a 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers to split a home-and-home set.Canadian pilot Justin Kripps and brakeman Bryan Barnett sit in fourth place Sunday following the first two runs of the mens two-man bobsled event, posting a combined time of one minute, 53:26 seconds. Kripps, of Summerland, B.C., and Edmontons Barnett used a terrific second run to move up two spots, putting the Canadian duo in medal contention with the final two runs set for Monday (11:15 a.m. ET, streaming live at cbc.ca/olympics). Russian pilot Alexander Zubkov and brakeman Alexey Voevoda lead the event after a two-run time of 1:52.82 seconds. Switzerlands Beat Hefti and Alex Baumann overtook Americans Steven Holcomb and Steven Langton for second with a combined time of 1:53.dddddddddddd14. Holcomb and Langton are third at 1:53.18. The Canadians are pearking at an opportune time. They won their first career World Cup two-man event in January during the last event before the Sochi Olympics. Two other Canadian sleds finished in the top 10. Calgarys Chris Spring and Jesse Lumsden, of Burlington, Ont., currently hold the eighth spot with a combined time of 1:53.43. Lyndon Rush, of Humbolt, Sask., and Calgarys Lascelles Brown, are in ninth at 1:53.48. ' ' '