HOUSTON -- It was just seven days ago when the Astros punctuated their first nonwaiver deadline acquisition with their first walk-off home run of the season. Roughly four hours after they landed Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez in a trade, the Astros pulled the same trick again.

Astros catcher Jason Castro slugged his second career walk-off homer with two outs in the ninth inning, and the Houston Astros completed a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 3-0 win on Thursday night at Minute Maid Park.

Castro was batting .111 (6-for-54) with runners in scoring position before crushing a 1-2 fastball from Angels right-hander Fernando Salas out to right field, scoring third baseman Jed Lowrie, who reached against left-hander Jose Alvarez (2-2), and designated hitter Marwin Gonzalez.

On June 23, Astros second baseman Jose Altuve smacked a walk-off homer to defeat the Rangers 5-4 hours after the club landed left-hander Scott Kazmir via trade from the Athletics.

"It felt great," Castro said. "Toward the end of the game as we started getting deeper, you could kind of actually realize how many people were here. Some big spots.

"We got some guys out there and you could really hear the crowd and feel the intensity in there and it's great to have that back here in Houston."

The blast marked the second career walk-off homer for Castro, his first coming on June 27, 2014, against the Tigers. Houston (58-45) grabbed a two-game lead over the Angels (55-46) in the American League West.

Astros right-hander Luke Gregerson (4-1) worked a perfect ninth inning to set the stage for Castro, capping a brilliant night of pitching.

Kazmir and Angels right-hander Matt Shoemaker engaged in a spirited duel, yet neither factored into the decision.

Shoemaker worked seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits -- all singles -- and one walk while recording seven strikeouts. He retired the final 11 batters he faced and lowered his ERA to 2.01 over his past six appearances (five starts).

Kazmir extended his scoreless string with the Astros to 14 2/3 innings, but he needed some help to escape the eighth inning unscathed. Kazmir allowed a pair of runners in his final frame, and a wild pitch advanced second baseman Johnny Giavotella and left fielder Shane Victorino into scoring position with just one out in a scoreless game.

Kazmir recovered to strike out right fielder Kole Calhoun before Astros right-hander Pat Neshek entered in relief and struck out center fielder Mike Trout to snuff the threat and preserve the scoreless tie.

"Calhoun is a good hitter, Kazmir is tiring at the end but he reached back and probably threw his best pitch -- what was it, 94 miles per hour? -- to end the at-bat," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "That's digging pretty deep in the well and finishing the hitter."

Said Trout, who went 0-for-3: "(Neshek) threw a good pitch. I just missed it."

In picking up where he left off during his Astros debut in Kansas City, Kazmir skirted trouble in the first and second innings en route to retiring 10 consecutive batters before issuing a one-out walk to Angels catcher Chris Iannetta in the fifth inning.

Shoemaker matched Kazmir inning for inning, eluding a pair of early rough patches before finding his groove following a one-out single by Astros right fielder Colby Rasmus in the fourth inning.

"That might have been the best game he's thrown all year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Shoemaker. "He had real good fastball command. He moved the ball around. Had good life. You can't ask for more from Shoe pitching with his back against the wall. We didn't have much offense going. Any chance we had they came in and got some big outs. Shoe and Kazmir went pitch to pitch."

NOTES: Angels CF Mike Trout returned to the starting lineup after missing consecutive games with a left wrist injury he sustained Sunday. Trout missed only game previously this season, sitting out with a sore left heel on July 21 against the Twins. ... With Astros INF Jed Lowrie activated from the 60-day disabled list and making the move from shortstop to third base, Luis Valbuena made his first career start at first. Valbuena worked out there in recent weeks in anticipation of the shift. ... The Angels recalled RHP Cory Rasmus, the younger brother of Astros RF Colby Rasmus, from Triple-A Salt Lake to serve as a long reliever. Rasmus last pitched for the Angels in 2014, going 3-2 with a 2.57 ERA over 30 games (six starts).