ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols homered in a seven-run eighth inning, Mike Trout became the youngest player to reach at least 275 home runs and 200 stolen bases and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 10-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday night.
Pujols’ three-run shot to right-center off Josh Smith is the 3,184th hit of his career, tying him with Cal Ripken Jr. for 14th all-time. It was also his 20th homer of the season, making him the fifth player with at least 17 seasons of 20 or more homers.
Los Angeles trailed 4-3 going into the bottom of the eighth before blowing it open with six runs and five hits off Ryan Brasier (2-4). Andrelton Simmons’ single drove in Justin Upton with the tying run before he scored on Fletcher’s two-out double to left to put the Angels on top. Brian Goodwin added a two-run single with the bases loaded before Pujols’ blast.
The 39-year old Pujols has had a good weekend against Boston pitching. He had his first four-hit game in two years in Friday’s 15-inning loss.
Trout — who was 1 for 3 with an RBI — stole his 200th base during the second inning, becoming the first player to have at least 275 home runs and 200 stolen bases before their age-28 season. Trout turned 28 on Aug. 7, but age-season is defined by how old they are on June 30.
He is the seventh player in American League history to reach those marks, Trout leads the majors with 43 homers this season and has 283 in his nine-year career.
Luis Garcia (2-1) worked a scoreless eighth to get the win.
Boston’s J.D. Martinez extended his hitting streak to eight games with two hits along with two RBIs. Mookie Betts added three hits.
FOR STARTERS
Boston went with an opener for the first time in Alex Cora’s two seasons as manager due to Friday’s 15-inning marathon.
Josh Taylor worked the first inning and got out of a one out, bases-loaded jam when he struck out Justin Upton and got Calhoun to fly out to left. The right-hander allowed one hit and walked two.
Dillon Peters went 6 1/3 innings for his second-longest outing of the season. The left-hander surrendered four runs (three earned) on seven hits with strikeouts.
ROSTER MOVE
The Red Sox signed pitcher Jhoulys Chacin to a minor-league deal. The right-hander threw a bullpen session Friday before being signed on Saturday.
Chacin was 3-10 with a 5.79 ERA in 19 starts for Milwaukee this season before being released on Monday. Cora said he did not know if Chacin would be added when rosters are expanded on Sunday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: P Cam Bedrosian was placed on the injured list due to right forearm strain. The right-hander is the 25th player to go on the IL this season, tying the club record from last year.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: David Price (7-5, 4.36 ERA) comes off the injured list and makes his first start since Aug. 4. The left hander missed at least four starts due to a cyst on his left wrist.
Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney (3-3, 3.95 ERA) has 24 strikeouts in his last two starts.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story