Altuve runs away with second AL batting crown

ANAHEIM — There was no drama like there was two years ago, when Astros second baseman Jose Altuve went into the final day of the regular season with a slim lead over Detroit’s Victor Martinez in the race for the American League batting crown. Altuve was originally out of the lineup, but he wound up playing and getting a pair of hits to secure his first title.

Altuve entered Sunday’s game against the Angels with an 18-point lead over Boston’s Dustin Pedroia and Mookie Betts and went 1-for-4 as a designated hitter in the Astros’ 8-1 loss at Angel Stadium. His broken-bat single in the ninth inning meant he finished the season at .338 and he led the Majors with 216 hits. Pedroia and Betts both went 0-for-4 to finish at .318.

“I mean, as a player, you always want to get a hit and get on base,” Altuve said. “I’m the kind of player that, you guys know, I want to win as many games as possible, including this one. I wanted to get a …

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