Field Level Media
May 3, 2018
Albert Pujols continued his assault on the record books with a home run and double in the Los Angeles Angels' 10-7 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The two hits gave Pujols 2,998 in his career, leaving him two shy of becoming the 32nd player in major league history to reach the 3,000-hit mark. His home run was No. 620 of his career (No. 7 all-time), and his double increased his career total to 625, moving him past Hank Aaron and into the No. 10 spot all-time.
It was all part of an Angels offense that had just nine hits, but seven of them went for extra bases.
Mike Trout hit his 11th home run of the season in the first inning, tying Boston's Mookie Betts for the major league lead. Justin Upton's three-run home in the fifth inning boosted the Angels' lead to 7-1. And Martin Maldonado homered in the eighth inning, one of his three hits in the game, helping send the reeling Orioles to their 14th loss in 17 games.
It all started when Trout and Pujols homered in the first inning off Orioles starter Dylan Bundy. It marked the eighth time they have each homered in the first inning, the most by any pair of teammates in major league history.
Craig Gentry tripled in the top of the first and scored on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado to give Baltimore a brief 1-0 lead against Andrew Heaney. However, the Angels starter settled in and didn't allow another run.
Heaney (1-1) gave up one run on five hits and one walk in six innings, striking out two and making 86 pitches.
Meanwhile, Bundy lasted just 4 1/3 innings, getting the hook after giving up Pujols' double, which immediately followed the three-run homer by Upton. Bundy (1-4) gave up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out four.
Down 10-2, the Orioles made things interesting in the ninth, scoring five times. The inning was highlighted by a three-run, pinch-hit triple by Jace Peterson. Los Angeles reliever Jim Johnson recorded the final two outs in a non-save situation.
--Field Level Media