Angels 4, Diamondbacks 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols hit his American League-leading 19th home run, propelling the Los Angeles Angels to a 4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
Pujols, the Angels' first baseman, hit in the cleanup spot for the first time in five years after 735 consecutive starts as the No. 3 hitter, an effort by Angels manager Mike Scioscia to put a little life in the Angels' anemic offense.
For most of the game nothing was different, as Diamondbacks starter Jeremy Hellickson shut out the Angels on three hits through five innings. But with two outs in the sixth, center fielder Mike Trout walked, bringing up Pujols.
Pujols followed with a homer to center, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead and eventually a win that ended Arizona's winning streak at four games. Third baseman David Freese gave the Angels a cushion with a two-run homer in the eighth, his 10th of the season.
Angels starter Garrett Richards (7-4) earned the victory after allowing one unearned run in seven innings. He finished strong, retiring the final 11 batters he faced, handing the ball over to the bullpen in the eighth inning after making 96 pitches.
Right-handed Joe Smith pitched a scoreless eighth, and closer Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 20th save.
Except for the glitch in the sixth, Hellickson (4-4) pitched well, giving up two runs on four hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out six.
First baseman Danny Dorn had two of Arizona's five hits.
The Diamondbacks took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Second baseman Chris Owings led off with a single, took second and then third on two passed balls by catcher Carlos Perez, then scored on a sacrifice fly by center fielder A.J. Pollock.
NOTES: Angels 1B Albert Pujols hit cleanup for the first time as an Angel and the first time since a five-game stretch while with the Cardinals from May 17-21, 2010. Before Tuesday, he only hit in the No. 3 spot in a Los Angeles uniform. CF Mike Trout moved from No. 2 to No. 3. ... The Diamondbacks called up 1B Danny Dorn from Triple-A Reno to replace the OF Ender Inciarte (strained right hamstring) on the roster. Dorn was hitting .426 (63-for-148) with 14 doubles, four homers and 25 RBIs in 39 games for Reno. ... Angels OF Collin Cowgill, out since May 26 with an injured right wrist, received a cortisone shot Tuesday. A hand specialist diagnosed him with a joint sprain of the wrist. He will be re-evaluated in a week. ... Arizona starting pitchers entered play Tuesday having allowed two earned runs in their previous 27 2/3 innings, covering four games.