ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols doesn’t want to talk about his growing list of accomplishments until his career comes to an end.
That leaves the task to the rest of baseball, and they are running out of ways to describe Pujols’ illustrious time in the game.
Pujols had two hits and three RBIs Wednesday and set the major league record for career hits by a foreign-born player, leading the Angels to a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“I mean, what more can we say? He’s one of the greatest players to ever play the game, one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game,” Los Angeles manager Brad Ausmus said. “And he’s going to pass some other names I’m sure that are very well known and have plaques hanging in Cooperstown.
Pujols had an RBI single in the fourth inning. His 3,167th hit moved him past fellow Dominican Republic native Adrian Beltre (3,166) and into sole possession of 15th place for career hits.
Dillon Peters (3-1) allowed two runs in six innings while striking out six after an erratic start.
Luis Rengifo also drove in two runs for the Angels, who snapped a three-game home losing streak. Teammate Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-3 with a walk. He also scored a run.
Melky Cabrera and Elias Diaz each had an RBI for the Pirates, who failed to complete a three-game sweep of the Angels. Pittsburgh has not won three in a row since July 1-3, against the Chicago Cubs.
Chris Archer (3-9) allowed four runs, three earned, in five innings, and his streak of starts without a win reached 12 games. It is the longest such span in Archer’s eight-year career.
The 39-year-old Pujols drove in Los Angeles’ first run with his record-setting single, helping spark the struggling Angels to their fifth win in the past 18 games. David Fletcher followed with an RBI double that tied the game at 2-2.
“Forget about the record. It’s my job to come here every night and try to help this ball club to win when I can,” Pujols said.
Phillies 11, Cubs 1
In Philadelphia, J.T. Realmuto hit a grand slam, Bryce Harper went deep twice and the Phillies trounced Chicago in Charlie Manuel’s first game as hitting coach, ruining Cole Hamels’ return home.
Manuel was back in red pinstripes in his old dugout exactly six years to the day the franchise icon managed his last game for the Phillies. He heard “Charlie! Charlie! Charlie!” chants after Realmuto connected to make it 10-0 in the third.
Hamels, the 2008 NLCS and World Series MVP with Manuel’s Phillies, was roughed up in his first game in Philadelphia since he was traded to Texas in July 2015. Hamels (6-4) gave up eight runs and nine hits in two-plus innings.
Dodgers 9, Marlins 1
In Miami, Clayton Kershaw struck out the first seven batters he faced and matched a season high with 10 strikeouts in seven shutout innings as Los Angeles hammered the Marlins.
Kershaw (12-2) allowed two hits and retired the first 14 Miami batters before Harold Ramirez’s two-out single to right in the fifth.
Yankees 6, Orioles 5
In New York, Gary Sanchez hit a three-run homer and the Yankees beat Baltimore for the 16th straight time this season.
Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 6
In Denver, Nolan Arenado belted a two-run homer in the ninth inning to give the hosts a dramatic victory over Arizona.
Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer and Wilmer Flores added a solo shot in the sixth to give Arizona a 5-2 lead. The Rockies tied it up on pinch hitter Ryan McMahon’s three-run homer in the bottom half of the inning off reliever Yoshihisa Hirano.
Hirano recorded his fifth lown save of the season. He allowed five hits and three runs in an inning of work while striking out one.
In Other Games
Braves 6, Mets 4
White Sox 13, Astros 9
Athletics 9, Giants 5
Brewers 6, Twins 5
Padres 7, Rays 2
Tigers 3, Mariners 2
Rangers 7, Blue Jays 3
Cardinals 6, Royals 0
Nationals 17, Reds 7
Red Sox 5, Indians 1
Source : Baseball – The Japan Times