Field Level Media
May 5, 2018
Albert Pujols got his 3,000th career hit and Garrett Richards pitched 6 ? scoreless innings as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the host Seattle Mariners 5-0 Friday night at Safeco Field.
Pujols, 38, became the 32nd player in major league history to reach the milestone with his fifth-inning single off Seattle starter Mike Leake. He's the second Dominican-born player to accomplish the feat, after Adrian Beltre.
Pujols added a two-run single in the ninth inning to cap the scoring.
In search of No. 3,000, Pujols lined out to Seattle shortstop Jean Segura in the first inning. Segura was playing so deep he was a couple of steps onto the outfield grass.
Pujols walked leading off the fourth after fouling off several 3-2 pitches, sparking a two-run rally to break a scoreless tie.
Shohei Ohtani then lined a single up the middle, with Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon nearly spiking the ball back to the infield, allowing Pujols to advance to third on the throwing error.
Andrelton Simmons hit a soft liner to center to score Pujols. Luis Valbuena then grounded a single into right field to load the bases. Ohtani scored when Kole Calhoun grounded into a double play.
The Angels, who have won 12 of their 14 road games this season, scored again in the fifth off Leake.
With one out, Mike Trout singled to left. He was erased on Justin Upton's fielder's choice before Pujols got his historic hit, a single to right field.
Angels teammates mobbed Pujols, the Seattle crowd of 41,705 gave him a standing ovation and the ball and first-base bag were taken out of play.
After a brief delay, Ohtani hit a run-scoring double to left to make it 3-0.
Richards (4-1) allowed four hits, walked one and struck out eight.
Justin Anderson and Jim Johnson combined for 2 ? innings of one-hit relief with three strikeouts to preserve the shutout.
Leake (3-3) went 5 ? innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. He walked four and struck out four.
The Angels scored their final two runs in the ninth off reliever Casey Lawrence.
With one out, Trout tripled to center field, the ball just eluding a diving Gordon. Upton walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Pujols lined a single to left to score both runners and make it 5-0.
--Field Level Media