ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols had a two-run double for his 2,999th career hit, and Luis Valbuena and Andrelton Simmons drove in three runs apiece in the Los Angeles Angels’ 12-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Pujols did not get a hit in his final three plate appearances after moving to the brink of the 3,000-hit club in the second inning. The slugger had hoped to reach the milestone in front of his Angel Stadium fans, who stood in unison each time he came up.
But after getting hit by a 2-2 pitch in the fourth and being retired on a foul popup in the sixth, Pujols flied out to right in the eighth inning in his final chance. The slugger will attempt to become the 32nd member of the 3,000-hit club Friday in Seattle.
The Angels didn’t need any more offense from Pujols while sweeping the three-game series and scoring 25 runs against Baltimore’s beleaguered pitching staff. Valbuena and Justin Upton had three hits apiece to lead Los Angeles’ 15-hit attack.
Mike Trout started the bonanza with a run-scoring triple during a five-run first inning, and he added an RBI single in the three-run second to chase Chris Tillman (1-5).
Angels rookie right-hander Jaime Barria (2-1) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of his third career start, finishing with six innings of four-hit ball.
Pujols doubled against Miguel Castro in the second inning, scoring Trout and Upton to put the Angels ahead 8-0. Simmons then got a two-run double and Valbuena added a two-run single in the fourth for a 12-0 lead.
Manny Machado drove in two runs for the last-place Orioles, who have lost 15 of 18.
Tillman got only three outs while yielding seven hits and seven runs in a disastrous start in his hometown.
While the stadium focused on Pujols’ quest, Barria dominated the Orioles’ lineup. The 21-year-old Panamanian prospect didn’t allow a hit until Trey Mancini’s one-out single in the sixth.
Barria is in his third stint with the Angels this season, coming up and down from Triple-A Salt Lake to patch the holes in Los Angeles’ injury-plagued rotation. The right-hander worked quickly and efficiently against the Orioles’ struggling lineup, allowing only two walks in the first four innings.
Baltimore strung together four singles and scored two runs in the sixth, but Barria pitched his way out of the inning and left to a standing ovation.
Angels star Shohei Ohtani went 2 for 3 with two singles and a walk, scoring two runs and driving in another. The Japanese two-way sensation had the fifth multihit game of his rookie season.
MARINERS 4, ATHLETICS 1
SEATTLE — Dee Gordon had a big night on the bases, Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer and the Mariners won their first game since Ichiro Suzuki was moved from the roster to the front office.
Hours after the Mariners announced Suzuki’s new role for the rest of 2018, Gordon gave the longtime Japanese star a fitting tribute. With “Thanks 51” written on his cap, Gordon went 3 for 4, stole two bases and scored twice.
Chasen Bradford (3-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings for the win, and Edwin Diaz handled the ninth for his major league-leading 13th save.
Oakland ace Sean Manaea (4-3) gave up four runs and six hits in six innings.
YANKEES 6, ASTROS 5
HOUSTON — Aroldis Chapman struck out AL MVP Jose Altuve on three straight 101 mph fastballs with two on to end the game, and the Yankees got a key hit from rookie Gleyber Torres during a three-run rally in the ninth inning.
The Yankees won a wild one to take three of four from the team that beat them in Game 7 of the AL Championship Series last October.
New York took a 3-0 lead into the seventh, trailed 5-3 going into the ninth and let a bounced third strike give the Astros their final chance.
Evan Gattis fanned but reached on Chapman’s two-out wild pitch, and George Springer followed with a single. Altuve went down swinging, giving Chapman his seventh save.
Chasen Shreve (1-0) got the last two outs of the eighth for the win. Will Harris (1-2) got the loss.
NATIONALS 3, PIRATES 1
WASHINGTON — Trea Turner and Ryan Zimmerman homered in the sixth inning, helping Washington complete a four-game series sweep.
Jeremy Hellickson and four relievers combined on a five-hitter for Washington, which has won a season-high five in a row.
Sammy Solis (1-1) retired the only batter he faced, ending the sixth to keep the game scoreless. Sean Doolittle recorded the last five outs for his sixth save.
Pittsburgh’s Trevor Williams (4-2) allowed only two runners over the first five innings. Wilmer Difo led off with a single, and after Bryce Harper flied out, Turner hit his second home run of the season.
Two batters later, Zimmerman connected for his fifth homer.
BRAVES 11, METS 0
NEW YORK — Julio Teheran took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning, 20-year-old Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his second big league home run and Atlanta finished a three-game sweep that vaulted the young Braves into the NL East lead.
Kurt Suzuki, Acuna and Nick Markakis homered as Atlanta built a 6-0 lead against Jason Vargas (0-2), and 21-year-old Ozzie Albies went deep off an equally shaky Matt Harvey.
The Braves opened a 1 1/2-game division lead, the latest in a season they have been in first place since July 20, 2014.
Teheran (2-1) was virtually untouchable until Asdrubal Cabrera doubled down the right field line with two outs in the seventh.
DODGERS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 2
PHOENIX — Arizona reliever Jorge De La Rosa threw a pair of run-scoring wild pitches during an eighth-inning rally that sent the Dodgers to the victory.
The Dodgers scored four times in the eighth and handed Arizona its first two-game losing streak this year. The four-game split ended the Diamondbacks’ string of nine straight series victories to start the season.
J.T. Chargois (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh to get the victory. Kenley Jansen earned his fifth save with a perfect ninth.
Fernando Salas (3-2) got the loss.
BLUE JAYS 13, INDIANS 11, 11 INN.
INDIANS 13, BLUE JAYS 4
CLEVELAND — Jose Ramirez hit a two-run homer and Adam Plutko won his first major league start as Cleveland split an extra-long doubleheader with Toronto.
The victory in the second game was No. 1,500 for Terry Francona, who became the 24th manager to reach the milestone.
Erik Gonzalez had four RBIs for Cleveland. Plutko (1-0) allowing three runs — all on homers — and six hits in 7 1/3 innings.
Blue Jays right-hander Joe Biagini (0-1) was tagged for 10 hits and six runs in 4 1/3 innings.
In the opener, Toronto’s Yangervis Solarte hit his first career grand slam with two outs in the 11th inning. Solarte went 8 for 10 with seven RBIs in the doubleheader.
Tim Mayza (1-0), Toronto’s sixth reliever, pitched one inning for the win.
Francisco Lindor homered twice for the Indians. Tyler Olson (0-1) got the loss.
RANGERS 11, RED SOX 5
ARLINGTON, Texas — Nomar Mazara drove in five runs while homering in his third straight game, and the Rangers handed former AL Cy Young Award winner David Price his third loss in a row.
Mazara hit a two-run double off Price (2-4) in the third. He belted a towering three-run homer in the fourth as the first batter after Price was pulled from the game. Mazara’s sixth homer gave Texas a 10-3 lead.
Mookie Betts connected again for Boston in the third, his major league-leading 12th homer coming a day after he went deep three times at Fenway Park against Kansas City. Betts also had a two-run double and a sacrifice fly.
Mike Minor (3-1) worked six innings for the win.
WHITE SOX 6, TWINS 5
CHICAGO — Trayce Thompson homered with two out in the ninth, and the White Sox stopped a four-game slide.
Thompson connected against former White Sox reliever Addison Reed (0-2), driving a 3-1 pitch 403 feet to left. It was Thompson’s third homer in 43 at-bats this season and third game-ending shot of his career.
Chicago trailed 5-1 in the fourth inning. Nate Jones (2-0) got the win, retiring his only batter.
Logan Morrison went deep in his first three-hit game for the Twins.
ROYALS 10, TIGERS 6
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Lucas Duda had three hits and drove in four runs, leading Kansas City to the victory.
Salvador Perez, Jorge Soler and Alex Gordon homered for the Royals, who have quietly gotten on track offensively after a miserable start.
Kansas City pounded out 13 hits in all against Mike Fiers and the Tigers’ bullpen. Reliever Chad Bell (0-1) allowed five runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings.
Eric Skoglund wasn’t much better on the mound for Kansas City, but Kyle McCarthy (3-0) wiggled out of a key sixth-inning jam before pitching a clean seventh to earn the victory in relief.
Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera left with a strained hamstring in the sixth inning. He planned to test it on Friday.
