Albert Pujols homers in Angels’ 7-4 victory over the Diamondbacks
The Angels beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, 7-4, at Tempe Diablo Stadium. There are four games remaining in the Cactus League slate, and the Angels’ record is 16-12.
AT THE PLATE: Albert Pujols hit a two-run home run against Taijuan Walker in the first inning. It was Pujols’ second home run this spring and it nearly cleared the grass berm beyond left-center field. The Angels scored twice more in the first inning via an error and singles from Cameron Maybin and Andrelton Simmons. … Simmons doubled again in the fourth, and catcher Carlos Perez followed with a two-run home run that snuck inside the left-field foul pole.
ON THE MOUND: In his first start against Arizona, the team that traded him to the Angels, left-hander Tyler Skaggs hoped to go five innings. But his pitch count precluded him from doing so, and he instead threw 76 pitches in four-plus innings, striking out three batters and walking none, and giving up a run and four hits. There were positives within some pitches: After Paul Goldschmidt fouled off a breaking ball in the first, Skaggs buried one deeper and induced a swinging strikeout. Goldschmidt later doubled. “I got the best of him, and he got the best of me,” Skaggs said. … Right-hander Mike Morin pitched a 1-2-3 inning, as did right-hander Kirby Yates. Right-hander Blake Parker struck out the side in his inning and has impressed the team of late.
EXTRA BASES: With Maybin at bat in the third inning, Manager Mike Scioscia was ejected by plate umpire Mike Cascioppo. Scioscia said Cascioppo told him to shut up in the dugout when he had not said anything.
UP NEXT: Kansas City Royals at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Sunday at 1 p.m. TV: FS West; Radio: 830.
Twitter: @pedromoura
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