Twins at Angels
With Albert Pujols' search for an historic home run over, the Los Angeles Angels can focus all of their attention on earning a split of their four-game series against the visiting Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Pujols hit his 600th career homer on Saturday as Los Angeles posted a 7-2 victory after losing the first two games of the set.
The 37-year-old Pujols belted a grand slam in the fourth inning to become the ninth player in major-league history to reach the milestone. The blast was Pujols' 2,876th career hit, tying him with Mel Ott for 43rd place on the all-time list and putting him one behind Omar Vizquel for 42nd. While Los Angeles improved to 3-3 on its seven-game homestand, Minnesota fell to 2-1 on its 10-game road trip. Max Kepler extended his hitting streak to six games Saturday, recording two hits - including a homer - and two RBIs for the second straight contest.
TV: 3:37 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (3-1, 2.70 ERA) vs. Angels RH Ricky Nolasco (2-5, 5.07)
Berrios won each of his first three starts of the season but had the streak broken Tuesday, when he yielded four runs on five hits and four walks in five innings against Houston. The 23-year-old Puerto Rican had given up four runs and four walks in total over his first three outings. Berrios, who already has matched the number of wins he recorded in 14 starts as a rookie last year, will be facing the Angels for the first time.
Nolasco's winless streak reached six starts Monday as he lost his third consecutive start, surrendering six runs and seven hits in only 2 2/3 innings against Atlanta. It was the shortest outing of the year for the 34-year-old Californian, who had worked at least six frames in each of his previous four turns and six overall in 2017. Nolasco went 15-22 in 58 outings over 2 1/2 seasons with Minnesota before being traded to Los Angeles but has made just one career start against the Twins, allowing three runs - two earned - over five innings in a victory at Minnesota on April 23, 2013 while with Miami.
WALK-OFFS
1. Angels 3B Yunel Escobar has gone 2-for-4 in each of the first three games of the series after missing nearly three weeks with a strained hamstring.
2. Minnesota C Jason Castro is expected to be in the lineup Sunday after being rested for two games.
3. Los Angeles recalled 1B C.J. Cron and RHP Damien Magnifico from Triple-A Salt Lake, optioned 1B Jefry Marte to the Bees and designated RHP Deolis Guerra for assignment.