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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. ... 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"All he says is, its crazy," DeMar DeRozan told reporters following Torontos win over the Pistons Wednesday. The Raptors longest-serving members, Johnson and DeRozan have had two coaches and 56 different teammates in five seasons with the club, all without appearing in a single playoff game.KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Roger Federer made a victorious return Friday to the Sony Open after skipping last years tournament, and then was treated to a tribute on the stadium video screen. "It looks like a farewell video," Federer told the crowd with a laugh. "I miss one year, and you make me feel guilty." Federers back, as he showed by beating big-serving Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6 (4). The Swiss star lost just three points on his serve to his 6-foot-11 (2.11-meter) opponent, and in a match with few rallies, he committed only three unforced errors. Three-time champion Novak Djokovic followed Federer onto the stadium court and into the third round, defeating Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 6-3. Defending champion Andy Murray, playing for the first time since he parted with coach Ivan Lendl, rallied to beat Matthew Ebden 3-6, 6-0, 6-1. Another three-time champ, Venus Williams, defeated Anna Schmiedlova 6-3, 6-3. Williams, the oldest player remaining in the womens draw at 33, is competing at Key Biscayne for the 15th time. "Its good to be here still as an oldster," Williams said. At 32, Federer has looked rejuvenated recently, and was the runner-up to Djokovic last week at Indian Wells. The 17-time Grand Slam champion says his new racket gives him more power, and hes moving as he did in the old days. After falling out of the top five last year for the first time since 2002, Federer returned to No. 5 this week. He led from the start against Karlovic, making the surprising choice to receive after winning the toss and earning the lone break of the match in the opening game. "I just felt like, you know, let him go first and see how it goes," Federer said. "It worked well today because I got the early break right away. That relaxed me for the rest of the first set clearly, but still he hung around." While Federer had trouble with serves from Karlovic that peaked at 138 mph (222 kph), the Croat had no cchance when returning.dddddddddddd Federer won 49 of his 52 service points. Federer improved to 11-1 in their head-to-head -- or, in this case, head-to-shoulder. He said playing Karlovic presents unique challenges that he enjoys. "Physically its super easy. There are no long rallies," Federer said. "Its just more like a penalty shootout in soccer." The longest point was the last one, and when Karlovic pushed a backhand into the net on the 10th stroke, Federer hopped happily in celebration and threw a fist. The show of exuberance might be a hint hes keen to do well in a tournament he hasnt won since 2006. "Im very relieved and happy to be through," he said. Djokovic converted all three of his break-point chances against Chardy, who was hobbled after hurting his right ankle in the penultimate game. "When I was supposed to play my best and come up with some good serves and good shots, thats what I did in both sets," Djokovic said. On the womens side, No. 2-seeded Li Na reached the third round when Alisa Kleybanova withdrew because of a viral illness. Kleybanova, who won in doubles Thursday, is a former top 20-player mounting a career comeback from Hodgkins lymphoma. No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska, the tournament champion in 2012, defeated Romina Oprandi 6-0, 6-4. The Pole was hampered by a knee injury in her loss to Flavia Pennetta in the final at Indian Wells on Sunday, but showed no ill effects in her match Friday. "I feel much better now, obviously," she said. "Its not perfect yet, but I think those few days I had of rest in between Indian Wells and Miami really helped me." No. 6 Simona Halep, who lost to Radwanska in the semifinals at Indian Wells, withdrew because of a right toe injury. Former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki advanced with a 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 win over Monica Puig, but No. 7-seeded Jelena Jankovic was upset by American Varvara Lepchenko. ' ' '