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Diamondbacks topple the Angels, 7-3

Angels catcher Carlos Perez takes the throw as Arizona's Nick Ahmed scores on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning Monday night in Anaheim.

Angels catcher Carlos Perez takes the throw as Arizona’s Nick Ahmed scores on a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning Monday night in Anaheim.

(Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)
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KEY MOMENT: The Angels used a Kyle Kubitza single, a Diamondbacks error, a walk, a wild pitch and Mike Trout’s two-run double off Addison Reed to score three runs to pull to within 5-3 in the eighth inning. Albert Pujols, who has 10 homers in 17 games, stepped to the plate as the tying run, but his drive to the wall in center was caught by A.J. Pollock to end the inning.

AT THE PLATE: The Angels didn’t get their first hit off left-hander Robbie Ray until Daniel Robertson’s two-out single to right in the sixth. Erick Aybar followed with a shot to left to snap an 0-for-19 skid but was thrown out by Cliff Pennington trying to stretch the single into a double. Arizona added two runs off Fernando Salas in the ninth when Chris Owings doubled, Nick Ahmed singled, Cliff Pennington bunted for an RBI single, Ahmed taking third on Pujols’ error, and Pollock hit a sacrifice fly.

ON THE MOUND: Jered Weaver walked two in front of Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt in the third. Big mistake. The first baseman crushed a three-run homer to center for a 3-0 lead, giving him 18 homers and 53 RBIs on the season. Weaver, who gave up four earned runs and eight hits in seven innings, also gave up a solo homer to Yasmany Tomas in the sixth, the American League-leading 16th homer he has allowed this season, putting him on pace to surpass the 27 homers he gave up in 2014. Ray, who allowed two hits in seven innings, became the third Arizona starter in four games to take a no-hitter into the sixth.

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DERBY DAY: Trout, who is tied with Pujols for the AL lead with 18 homers, hasn’t decided if he’ll participate in the July 13 home run derby. Would he be concerned that the derby could hurt his swing? “Nah,” Trout said. “We hit homers in batting practice. It doesn’t mess me up.”

EXTRA BASES: Robertson made a strong one-hop throw from left field to nail Pennington at the plate to end the seventh. … Arizona right fielder Ender Inciarte left in the first because of a right-hamstring strain and is day to day. … Angels reliever Cory Rasmus, out since spring training because of hernia surgery, will begin a minor league rehabilitation stint this week.

UP NEXT: Right-hander Garrett Richards (6-4, 3.97 ERA) will oppose Arizona right-hander Jeremy Hellickson (4-3, 5.29 ERA) at Angel Stadium on Tuesday at 7 p.m. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830.

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