Sloppy defense has caused big innings for the Angels this season. On Wednesday, the Astros plagued them again.
Right-hander Griffin Canning glided through the first three innings, but repeated defensive miscues in a four-run fourth cost the Angels a 5-4 series finale loss at Angel Stadium.
The Angels have allowed three or more runs in each of their previous five games, finishing 1-4.
Yordan Alvarez's first-inning solo shot was Canning's only mistake through three innings. Hunter Renfroe's second-inning two-run homer, his team-leading 10th, gave him a one-run lead.
Yainer Diaz tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left field before Canning threw an error on a pickoff to first base.
The club's 28th error of the season allowed Julks to achieve third. Canning walked David Hensley five times to put runners at the corners.
The Angels suffered additional misfortune when Jake Meyers reached on an infield single on a lazy roller to Rendon to score another run. After evaluation, Meyers was cleared.
In five starts, Canning is 2-1 with a 6.38 ERA after allowing five runs on five hits and a walk. After three starts with three runs or fewer, he's allowed five runs in back-to-back starts.
In the eighth, Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer off reliever Ryan Pressly to tie the game. After Rendon and Renfroe singled, Brandon Drury, Matt Thaiss, and Gio Urshela failed to score the tying run.