Albert Pujols Hits 2 Home Runs In Angels' 6-1 Victory Over Royals

ANAHEIM (AP) — Albert Pujols hit two homers and Mike Trout added another, powering the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Garrett Richards (1-3) pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning of his first win of the season, while the Angels' struggling offense awoke with a three-run first inning followed by homers from its two biggest stars.

Pujols connected on solo shots in the third and fifth innings against Ian Kennedy (2-2). The homers were the 564th and 565th of Pujols' career, moving him out of a tie with Reggie Jackson and into sole possession of 13th place on baseball's career list.

Trout added a solo shot in the seventh, his fourth homer of the season.

Salvador Perez drove in the Royals' only run.

Eric Hosmer extended his hitting streak to 15 games for the Royals, who opened a six-game West Coast trip with just their second loss in their last 12 meetings with the Angels, including the 2014 AL division series.

Pujols has shaken his dismal start to the season with three homers in two games. The $240 million slugger moved past Jackson with a drive to the fake rock pile beyond center field in the third, and his fifth-inning shot barely eluded a leaping Alex Gordon in left field.

The Angels have the AL's worst offense in several categories, but they scored more than five runs for the second time in 20 games this season.

Kennedy is an Orange County native and former USC star who has never beaten the Angels. He yielded seven hits and four walks, allowing a baserunner in all six innings.

Richards got off to a rough start to his first season as the Angels' opening day starter, losing his head-to-head matchups with stars Jake Arrieta, Cole Hamels and Chris Sale. The Angels' five runs in the first five innings against Kansas City equaled Richards' total run support in his first four starts combined.

Richards left with two runners on and two outs in the seventh after walking Alcides Escobar with his 115th pitch, but Fernando Salas got San Fernando Valley native Mike Moustakas to fly out.

MONSTER NUMBERS

Pujols had his 52nd career multihomer game and his 10th with the Angels. He has five homers this season, but his shot on Sunday ended an 0-for-26 skid for the three-time NL MVP. He is closing in on Rafael Palmeiro, who sits in 12th place in baseball history with 569 career homers.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: LHP Tyler Skaggs was scratched from a Triple-A start due to fatigue. He is returning deliberately from elbow ligament replacement surgery.

UP NEXT

Royals: Edinson Volquez (3-0, 1.46 ERA) has been one of the majors' top starters so far, throwing seven scoreless innings last week against Detroit.

Angels: Jered Weaver (2-0, 3.12) looks to continue his solid start to the season while improving his 7-6 career record against Kansas City.

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