ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Early power provided the means for the Houston Astros to claim the best record in the American League.

Second baseman Jose Altuve, first baseman Chris Carter and right fielder Colby Rasmus combined for three home runs and five RBIs in the first three innings to lead the Astros to a 6-5 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in front of 40,210 at Angel Stadium.

Altuve hit a solo drive in the top of the first inning. Carter followed with a two-run homer in the second and Rasmus added a two-run homer in the third.

"We've got a lot of power throughout the lineup, and we're going to come out and bang," Astros catcher Hank Conger said. "The biggest thing is that it's contagious. One guy gets rolling, then the next guy gets rolling. On a good day, we can put up some crooked numbers."

Left-hander Dallas Keuchel (4-0) amassed seven strikeouts and induced nine groundouts in 6 2/3 innings. Keuchel retired 11 of 13 batters between the first and fifth innings, including eight in succession, walked two batters and allowed four runs and eight hits.

But trailing 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, the Angels closed within one run and put the potential winning run in scoring position against right-handed closer Chad Qualls. Left fielder Collin Cowgill singled with two outs, stole second base and came home on right fielder Kole Calhoun's double down the left-field line.

The Astros then walked center fielder Mike Trout intentionally, bringing first baseman Albert Pujols and his 11-game hitting streak to the plate.

"It's pick your poison," Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella said. "If there's anybody you want up in that situation, it's Albert."

However, Pujols to hit a ground ball up the middle that shortstop Marwin Gonzalez fielded and flipped to Altuve to retire Trout and end the game. Qualls posted his third save.

Trout went 3-for-4, hit a solo home run and scored twice to raise his batting average to .306. Five Los Angeles pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Altuve hit his fourth home run of the season down the left-field line off right-hander Matt Shoemaker. But the Angels retaliated with two runs in the bottom of the first against Keuchel, the major leagues' leader in ERA.

After Los Angeles loaded the bases with one out, shortstop Erick Aybar singled up the middle to bring Calhoun and Trout home. Giavotella then walked to reload the bases, but Keuchel made catcher Carlos Perez hit into a double play to end the inning.

"Man, I felt like I was going to give up the house," said Keuchel, who threw 23 pitches in the first inning. "I felt stronger physically than I have the last few starts but the command was way off. In the second inning, I was just trying to start stuff down the middle and let it move."

Perez was the first of eight consecutive batters and 11 of 13 that Keuchel retired.

Houston responded with five runs in the next two innings. In the second, Carter propelled Shoemaker's 90 mph fastball into the right-field stands for a two-run home run to give the Astros a 3-2 lead. The homer was Carter's fifth of the season, all in the past 16 games.

Center fielder Jake Marisnick began the third inning with a double and came home on third baseman Luis Valbuena's single. Rasmus followed with another two-run homer into the right-field stands, his sixth of the year to expand the Astros' advantage to 6-2

Shoemaker (2-3) allowed three home runs, tying a career high he established in his last start May 4 against the Seattle Mariners. The right-hander permitted six runs, six hits and a walk in three innings, struck out four and threw 54 pitches.

"He just didn't look like he was able to finish hitters or finish pitches," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I don't know if Matt was trying to overthrow or if he didn't have his release point. But he just didn't hit his spots."

The Angels narrowed their deficit to 6-4 after five innings. Perez's double down the right-field line scored Giavotella in the fourth, and Trout hit his ninth home run onto the batter's eye in center field in the fifth.

NOTES: Despite losing Friday night, Houston has the best road record in the major leagues: 11-3. The Astros and New York Yankees shared the major-league lead in road wins going into Saturday. ... Houston's seven-game winning streak on the road, which ended Friday night, was the Astros' longest since 2001. ... Astros SS Marwin Gonzalez returned to the lineup Saturday night after SS Jonathan Villar started the previous two games. Gonzalez, the regular starter, has made only two errors in 95 chances, compared to Villar's four errors in 44 chances. ... Angels 1B Albert Pujols took an 11-game hitting streak into Saturday night's game, his longest since 2012. ... Pujols and Hall of Famer Hank Aaron have each hit 46 home runs against the Astros, more than any other player. ... Los Angeles acquired RHP Chad Smith from the Oakland Athletics on Friday for cash considerations and optioned him to Triple-A Salt Lake. ... SS Roberto Baldoquin, one of the Angels' best prospects, is participating in extended spring training at the Angels' base in Tempe, Ariz., after he strained a muscle near his rib cage while playing for Class A Inland Empire. Baldoquin, who went on the disabled list April 23, signed an $8 million contract with the Angels in January, 11 months after the 20-year-old defected from Cuba.