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ANAHEIM, Calif. - Just when the Houston Astros figured everybody in baseball had pretty much forgotten about them, theyve started to pull off some attention-grabbing feats. After a perfect road trip, the low-budget club with the ALs worst record is heading home with the majors longest active winning streak. Chris Carter homered, Erik Bedard pitched seven strong innings for his first victory of the season, and the last-place Astros completed a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 2-1 victory Monday night. Brandon Barnes drove in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning as the Astros finished their unblemished six-game trip with their seventh win over the big-money Angels in 10 meetings this season. The Astros completed their longest perfect road trip since 1999 despite managing only three hits and four baserunners — and one was picked off. "Everybody takes pride in winning and playing as a team, and guys are playing great right now," said Carter, who hit his fifth homer against the Angels already this season. "Its just about getting big hits in big situations." Houston hadnt won six consecutive games since August 2010, and hadnt won six straight on the road since July 2005. The Astros barely hung on for the latest win in their improbable string, with Jose Veras striking out Hank Conger with two runners on in the ninth for his 11th save. "I feel like were playing really good baseball," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "We had been playing good baseball, but now were starting to win those crucial break points. ... I look at the talent in that room. I know the potential we have. Youre starting to see were coming together. I said it last month: Were going to hit our stride, and were going to start winning some of those games we were losing." The Astros had just enough to hold off Los Angeles, which lost a game despite allowing three hits or fewer for just the fifth time in the last decade. Joe Blanton picked up his AL-worst ninth loss for the Angels despite matching his career high with 11 strikeouts and allowing just three hits in eight outstanding innings. The Angels held a closed-door meeting for 25 minutes after their latest discouraging loss in a season full of them. "Anything can happen in this game, so you cant take the other team for granted," said Albert Pujols, who went 0 for 4. "They have a lot of players who want to prove that they belong up here. We had our pitching matchups set up, and obviously things didnt go our way." Barnes dived to catch Pujols sinking drive to centre with Mike Trout on base to end the eighth. Veras then held on for his third save in the four-game series, giving up Alberto Callaspos two-out double and walking pinch-hitter Josh Hamilton striking out pinch-hitter Conger looking. Bedard (1-2) hadnt won in his last 11 starts dating to last season, but the veteran lefty gave up just five hits and a walk despite entering the night with a career 7.08 ERA at Angel Stadium. Trout drove in the only run for the foundering Angels, who have lost six of eight to erase all momentum from their eight-game winning streak last month. Los Angeles slid back to eight games below .500 with four consecutive losses to the Astros, dropping its record against the rest of the AL West to 9-19. Carters fifth-inning homer was the Astros first hit off Blanton (1-9), who kept mowing down the Astros in his first start with 10 strikeouts in nearly four years. Blanton still matched Philadelphias Cole Hamels for the major league lead in losses. "They executed when they needed to, and we didnt," Blanton said. "They pitched well. Anytime somebody beats you four in a row, youve got to give them credit. Its not all a matter of you playing bad." Hamilton was held out of the Angels starting lineup to give some rest to the slumping $125 million outfielder. Hamilton missed two games last week with back spasms, but the former AL MVP was 2 for 15 on the homestand, and is batting .169 against left-handers this season. Blanton struck out six of the Astros first nine batters. Houstons only baserunner in the first 4 2-3 innings reached on Callaspos throwing error in the third, but Chris Iannetta picked Matt Dominguez off second base moments later. The Angels took the lead in the third when J.B. Shuck doubled down the right-field line, advanced on Erick Aybars single and scored on Trouts flyout. Blanton was firmly in control until Carters homer, striking out the first two batters he faced in the fifth to surpass his season high. But Carter lined a pitch into the bullpens beyond the left-field fence for his 12th homer of the season. Houston went ahead in the sixth when Dominguez doubled, advanced on a bunt and scored on Barnes fly. NOTES: Astros SS Marwin Gonzalez returned after missing four games with a strained hamstring. ... Blanton matched his career-best 11 strikeouts on May 26, 2009, while pitching for Philadelphia against the Marlins. ... OF Peter Bourjos had a triple in the first game of his rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Inland Empire. Out since April 29 with an injured hamstring, the centre fielder is expected to rejoin the Angels this week, bumping Trout back to left field. Justin Abdelkader Red Wings Jersey . The Croatian served 21 aces and hit 42 winners against Sijsling, who double-faulted to give Cilic a 4-3 lead in the deciding set. "All the players, they know me and they were really happy to see me and they were really happy that this is over for me," Cilic said. Andreas Athanasiou Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. 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SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Dustin Johnson looked nothing like a major champion Thursday in the opening round of the PGA.The U.S. Open winner shot 77, including three straight bogey 5s, two double bogeys, and a bogey 6 on the 18th hole that nearly everyone was birdieing.In all, Johnson beat five players, three of them club pros, and pretty much played his way out of contention while paired with British Open champ Henrik Stenson (3-under 67) and Masters winner Danny Willett (1 over).Things went poorly from the start for Johnson, who just last week in the Canadian Open tied for second place, and has been on a tear for much of 2016. Aside from his emphatic victory at Oakmont for his first major, Johnson followed with a victory at Firestone and a ninth at the British Open. He also has made a tour-leading 25 consecutive PGA Tour cuts -- dating to the Honda Classic in March 2015, which he immediately put behind him by winning at Doral.That Johnson was nowhere to be seen in the brutal heat at Baltusrol. He didnt wilt so much as fall apart pretty much from the outset.Nothing worked. Not his prodigious driving skills; he was all over the place and hit only seven of 14 fairways. Not his scrambling; he even left a long bunker shot in the sand on No. 11. Not his approach shots; Johnson got on only 55.5 percent of the greens in regulation.And certainly not his putting. He ranked 138th on the greens.His black attire seemed appropriate for such a round.He had a couple of bad drives, Stenson said of Johnson. A couple of bad tee shots led to some bogeys. And then he missed a fairway bunker shot on 11 and wrapped up with a 6.Stenson noted it could happen tto anyone, even the second-ranked player in the world.ddddddddddddYeah, its major golf, the first major champion from Sweden added. Its a tough course. If youre not playing your best, its going to show up, and I think thats normal. If you are playing well, you can shoot a score. But if youre struggling and hit a couple of loose ones, its easy to go the other way.He just didnt have a good day out there. We all know what hes capable of doing with a golf ball and on a golf course. Im sure hell bounce back shortly.Johnson, playing for a third straight week for the third time this season, will need to bounce back in a big way Friday to sniff making the cut.Thats hardly where Johnson could have envisioned hed stand when he spoke on Wednesday. Asked about his consistency in major championships the last three years -- eight Top-10s, one win -- he said:Well, I like the majors, and I feel like they are always played on really tough golf courses, which I feel like I do very well on really hard golf courses where pars are good scores, where youve got to drive it in the fairway, youve got to hit it on the green. You know, youve really got to control your ball.I feel like it keeps me mentally in it longer. When Im on really tough golf courses, I feel like Im more focused because Im really trying to hit the ball to a certain spot, instead of a lot of times when I struggle sometimes is just staying mentally focused on every shot.The focus was gone Thursday, and with it likely went Johnsons chances to win a second major. ' ' '