ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols homered during Los Angeles’ seven-run second inning, and the Angels opened their first home doubleheader since 2003 with an 11-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. ADVERTISING ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kole Calhoun
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Kole Calhoun and Albert Pujols homered during Los Angeles’ seven-run second inning, and the Angels opened their first home doubleheader since 2003 with an 11-1 win over the Boston Red Sox.
David Freese also hit a three-run homer in the AL West-leading Angels’ fourth straight win and their 14th in 17 games overall. All-Star Hector Santiago (7-4) matched his career high with 10 strikeouts despite laboring into the sixth inning.
Mike Napoli drove in Boston’s only run of the series’ first three games in the fourth inning. Eduardo Rodriguez (5-3) left after 1 2/3 innings, and the Red Sox lost their fourth straight.
In the nightcap, Pujols hit three homers, seizing the major league home run lead from Mike Trout during Los Angeles’ 7-3 victory.
Trout also homered and rookie Andrew Heaney pitched seven strong innings in the second game of the Angels’ first home doubleheader since 2003. Pujols, Kole Calhoun and David Freese homered during an 11-1 win in the first game.
Pujols caught and passed Mike Schmidt for 15th place in baseball history, hitting his 549th career homer in the seventh inning.
Trout pulled even with Pujols with his 28th homer in the fifth, but Pujols nudged back ahead with his 29th.
NATIONALS 7, METS 2
WASHINGTON — Clint Robinson’s two-run double to deep center was the biggest blow as the Nationals jumped on Mets starter Matt Harvey for five runs in the first three innings Monday night, and NL East-leading Washington beat second-place New York 7-2.
A day after leaving 25 men on base and going 1 for 26 with runners in scoring position in an 18-inning victory at St. Louis, the Mets’ troubled offense left 10 men on and went 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
Indeed, it was Harvey (8-7) who drove in both of New York’s runs with a bases-loaded single in the fourth off Gio Gonzalez (7-4). Harvey went seven innings, and was charged with five runs — four earned — and five hits.
Gonzalez allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. Ian Desmond tacked on a two-run homer off Mets reliever Alex Torres in the eighth.
REDS 5, CUBS 4
CINCINNATI — Todd Frazier connected for the first time since he won the All-Star Home Run Derby, and Jay Bruce hit a key two-run shot in the sixth inning, powering the Cincinnati Reds past the Chicago Cubs.
The Reds hit three homers in all, including Marlon Byrd’s solo shot, and beat the Cubs at Great American Ball Park for the first time this season. Bruce’s drive off Justin Grimm (1-3) put Cincinnati up 5-4 with two outs in the sixth.
Ryan Mattheus (1-1) pitched a hitless inning in relief of Michael Lorenzen. Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth — a day after he threw a career-high 44 pitches — and retired the side on 13 pitches for his 19th save.
TIGERS 5, MARINERS 4
DETROIT — Ian Kinsler homered twice, including a go-ahead two-run shot in the eighth inning, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners.
Kinsler, who came in with three homer this season, hit one off Seattle starter J.A. Happ in the first, and then drove a fastball from Mark Lowe over the Tigers’ bullpen with two out in the eighth. It was his first multi-homer game since Sept. 7, 2011.
Lowe (0-1) hadn’t allowed an earned run in his last 12 outings, dating to June 14, but Jose Iglesias doubled with one out, took third on a grounder and scored on Kinsler’s homer.
Al Alburquerque (1-0) picked up his first decision in 60 outings, pitching a scoreless eighth inning. Joakim Soria got three outs for his 21st save.
PHILLIES 5, RAYS 3
PHILADELPHIA — Cesar Hernandez doubled, tripled and drove in two runs, and David Buchanan earned his first win in almost a year, leading the Philadelphia Phillies over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Maikel Franco had a pair of hits with an RBI and Jeff Francoeur contributed two hits for the Phillies, who have won four straight after setting the franchise record with 62 losses before the All-Star break.
Buchanan (1-5) snapped his winless skid at 15 starts by allowing three runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Logan Forsythe doubled and had two RBIs for the Rays, who have lost 10 of their last 12 road games. Matt Moore (1-1) gave up four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings in his third start since coming back from Tommy John surgery.
BRAVES 7, DODGERS 5
ATLANTA — Nick Markakis hit his first homer of 2015 and scored the go-ahead run on Juan Uribe’s fifth-inning single, leading the Atlanta Braves past former teammate Brandon Beachy and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Markakis hit a two-run homer to center field off Beachy in the first inning. It was his first homer since Sept. 25, 2014, for the Orioles at the Yankees. Braves rookie Matt Wisler (4-1) allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings.
Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run shot and Howie Kendrick doubled in two runs for the Dodgers in the fifth. Beachy, making his second start for the Dodgers following his second Tommy John surgery, allowed four runs and five hits in four innings. Adam Liberatore (2-2) took the loss in relief.
PIRATES 10, ROYALS 7
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Travis Ishikawa had three extra-base hits and drove in four runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates outslugged the Kansas City Royals.
Ishikawa, who was 1 for 13 with one RBI in nine games since the Pirates claimed him on waivers July 5, hit a two-run double in a four-run second. He homered in the fifth with Jung Ho Kang aboard.
A.J. Burnett (8-3) won despite giving up a season-high five earned runs and 11 hits — including two homers — in his initial start since his first career trip to the All-Star Game. Mark Melancon worked the ninth for his 30th save, including a franchise-record 28 straight.
Mike Moustakas and Kendrys Morales homered for the Royals. Yordano Ventura (4-7) was pulled in the fifth after giving up six runs and 11 hits and a walk.
ROCKIES 8, RANGERS 7
DENVER — Ben Paulsen hit a tiebreaking single with one out in the bottom of the ninth, and the Colorado Rockies recovered from blowing a seven-run lead to beat the Texas Rangers.
Troy Tulowitzki homered and Nolan Arenado had two RBIs for Colorado, which has won a season-best five in a row at home.
Prince Fielder had two hits and three RBIs and Adrian Beltre had three hits for the Rangers, who have lost 10 of 12. Beltre’s second double of the night tied it at 7 in the ninth against closer John Axford (2-2), but the Rockies rallied in the bottom of the inning against Tanner Scheppers (3-1).
PADRES 4, GIANTS 2
SAN DIEGO – Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer to help the San Diego Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2 Monday night and extend their winning streak to a season-high five games.
Kemp’s 409-foot drive off 40-year-old Tim Hudson into the sandy play area beyond the right-center fence in the third inning was his fourth homer in seven games and 10th overall. It also gave the outfielder 700 career RBIs. Alexi Amarista was aboard on a walk.
Kemp had a strong second half for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and appears to be heating up when the Padres desperately need it. They’ve underperformed despite general manager A.J. Preller’s dramatic winter roster makeover, including the centerpiece deal to acquire Kemp from the rival Dodgers.
The slugger also homered Friday night against Colorado, and the Padres have hit six in three games since the All-Star break.
