Sports

Pujols Homers As Angels Top Rangers, 6-0

June 1, 2018 / 10:14 PM PDT / KCAL News

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ANAHEIM (AP) — Albert Pujols hit his 622nd career home run, rookie Jaime Barria threw six sharp innings and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Texas Rangers 6-0 on Friday night.

The benches cleared after Ronald Guzman grounded into a game-ending double play, with Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons taking exception over how Rougned Odor slid wide going into second base. Pujols helped play peacemaker and the incident did not devolve into a physical altercation.

Pujols took Bartolo Colon (2-3) deep for the fourth time in his career with a two-run shot to left-center in the first inning. Pujols has eight homers this season, and needs eight more to tie Ken Griffey Jr. for sixth place in MLB history, and is three RBIs away from tying Stan Musial's 1,951 for sixth-most.

Pujols went 2 for 4, and his single in the third inning was the 3,023rd hit of his career to tie Lou Brock for 27th place.

Ian Kinsler had a two-run homer, and Simmons and Martin Maldonado each drove in a run for the Angels.

Barria (5-1) struck out six while allowing four hits and one walk. The 21-year-old righty has won four of his last five starts.

Colon gave up six runs, eight hits and one walk in three innings.

Kinsler's fourth home run came in the second. The Rangers failed to score in the top half when Barria struck out Guzman on three pitches following Odor's two-out double to put runners on second and third.

Simmons singled with the bases loaded in the third to make it 5-0, and Maldonado grounded out to drive in another run and extend the lead to 6-0.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Tim Lincecum (blister) gave up one unearned run in two innings during a rehab assignment at Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday. Lincecum's stint on the 60-day disabled list will end Tuesday, at which point the Rangers will have to activate or release the two-time Cy Young Award winner.

Angels: 2B Zack Cozart will undergo an MRI after missing his third straight games because of tightness in his left forearm. . Shohei Ohtani, who went 1 for 3 with a double, could make his next start as a pitcher on Wednesday. "That's the date we have penciled, but we can adjust," manager Mike Scioscia said.

UP NEXT

Rangers: LHP Cole Hamels (3-5, 3.74 ERA) has fared well in his five career starts at Angel Stadium, going 2-1 with a 2.16 ERA. Hamels has never allowed more than two earned runs in a start at the Big A.

Angels: RHP Garrett Richards (4-4, 4.67) is 9-4 with a 3.11 ERA in 22 career games against Texas, including 18 starts. However, Richards is 0-3 in his last five starts against the Rangers since picking up his last win on Sept. 4, 2015.