Pujols ties Mays with HR No. 660 as Angels rally
Albert Pujols tied Willie Mays for fifth place on the career homer list with a two-run shot in the eighth inning, and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 5-3 win over the slumping Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
Trailing 3-2, the 40-year-old Pujols lined a fastball from Carlos Estevez (1-3) into the empty seats in left-center for his 660th homer. The ball was quickly retrieved.
It was his first homer since Aug. 4. Pujols now trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714) and Alex Rodriguez (696) on the career home run list. Estevez became the 426th different pitcher that Pujols has taken deep. Only Bonds has homered against more pitchers (449).
Colorado continued its fall after an 11-3 start. It dropped to 10-22 since Aug. 9.
MARLINS SWEEP PHILLIES >> Braxton Garrett allowed three hits over five innings to win his major league debut, and Miami beat Philadelphia 8-1 to complete doubleheader sweep and leapfrog the Phillies for second place in the NL East.
Rookie Sixto Sánchez pitched a three-hitter over seven innings to win the opener 2-1, his first complete game in five major league starts.
TWINS 7, INDIANS 5 >> Nelson Cruz hit his 16th homer, and host Minnesota finshed a threegame sweep of Cleveland.
WHITE SOX 5, TIGERS 2 >> Eloy Jiménez homered, Yoán Moncada had three hits, and Chicago beat Detroit for its fourth straight win.
AL Central-leading Chicago tuned up for a big series against Minnesota with its ninth consecutive victory against Detroit. The secondplace Twins visit the Windy City today for the opener of a four-game set.
RED SOX 6, RAYS 3 >> Christian Vázquez and Christian Arroyo homered to help last-place Boston get a split of a a-game series with AL East-leading Tampa Bay. Martín Pérez (3-4) gave up three runs and five hits over five innings. Matt Barnes, the fourth Boston reliever, worked the ninth to get his sixth save.
BRAVES 8, NATIONALS 4 >> Adam Duvall and Ozzie Albies each hit a two-run homer off a laboring Max Scherzer, and Atlanta got past Washington. Kyle Wright pitched six innings for his first major league win, helping Atlanta take three of four from Washington.
YANKEES 3, ORIOLES 1 >> Gleyber Torres drove in two with a pinch-hit double with two outs in the eighth inning, and New York completed a pivotal four-game sweep. The Yankees have won five straight to take control of the eighth and final AL postseason spot.
REDS 10, CARDINALS 5 >> Andrew Miller loaded the bases with a hit batter, followed with a tying four-pitch walk, then threw a wild pitch that put Cincinnati ahead in a three-run seventh inning.
MARINERS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 3 >> Donovan Walton’s three RBIs carried Seattle over Arizona.