Mike Trout, Albert Pujols lead Angels past Dodgers, 3-2

There was a little too much of the veteran star and way too much of the rookie sensation for the Dodgers on Monday night.

The Angels used another big night from outfield wunderkind Mike Trout and a game-winning hit from Albert Pujols to edge the Dodgers, 3-2, before a Dodger Stadium crowd of 50,559.

For the Dodgers, it was their fifth consecutive home loss. For the Angels, it was their 10th consecutive road victory.

Trout homered and singled in the Angels’ second run. Then with the scored tied, 2-2, he walked in the ninth inning, stole second base and scored on Pujols’ single off Kenley Jansen.

With the victory, the Angels pulled within 2½ games of the Texas Rangers in the American League West, the closest they’ve been since the sixth game of the season.

The Dodgers started the scoring with a pair of slightly unusual runs in the first inning off rookie right-hander Garrett Richards.

Dee Gordon opened the bottom half of the inning with a walk and the still surprising Elian Herrera sent him to third with a ground-rule double.

Andre Ethier grounded out to shortstop Erick Aybar, still enough to score Gordon with the game’s first run. After a walk to Bobby Abreu,Jerry Hairston Jr. flied out and Richards tried to pick Herrera off second.

Only the throw went by way of Interstate-10, and Herrera sprinted for third on the error. Trout ran in from center to field the ball, but dropped it for an error and Herrera kept running home with the second run. That’s one play, and two errors. Also, end of Dodgers’ scoring.

Meanwhile, Dodgers starter Chris Capuano flirted with trouble most every inning. The Angels loaded the bases in the first, but Capuano induced Howie Kendrick into an inning-ending double play.

The Angels got two more on with one out in the second, and Capuano pitched out of trouble, loaded the bases with two outs in the third, and Capuano still escaped damage.

But with two outs in the fourth, Trout showed how this scoring business could be taken care of with one swing when the 20-year-old rookie phenom drilled his sixth home run of the season.

It remained a 2-1 game heading into the sixth when Aybar led off with a double. When Capuano fell behind 2-0 to John Hester, manager Don Mattingly had seen enough.

Josh Lindblom replaced Capuano, but gave up a two-out single to Trout that scored Aybar with the tying run.

Capuano again looks in danger of becoming a five-inning pitcher. He hasn’t pitched past the fifth inning in his last three consecutive starts. Monday he allowed eight hits and walked four in his five-plus innings.

Richards, making just his second start this season for the Angels, also lasted five innings. He surrendered his two runs (one earned) on five hits and five walks.

Ernest Frieri pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fifth save.

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