ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols and Hector Santiago got off to rough statistical starts to the season despite solid work.
The slugger and the left-hander are finally getting the numbers to match their stellar performances.
Pujols had his 530th career homer among three hits, and Santiago pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 2-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Santiago (4-3) was finally rewarded for an impressive May, getting just his second victory in his last seven starts despite yielding only five earned runs in his last 33 1/3 innings. He has been hurt by some of the majors' worst run support, but Santiago got everything he needed from Pujols, who scored both of Los Angeles' runs.
"(The Tigers) have been tough on left-handed pitchers, but I guess I'm a different left-handed pitcher," said Santiago, who struck out seven and walked three. "Everything was working. I just go to their power, wherever they think their strongest spot is, and try to hit it."
Pujols is surging after a slow start despite impressive contact on a near-nightly basis. The three-time NL MVP is 8 for 18 midway through a 10-game homestand, and his average is up to .250 after languishing below .200 in early May.
"It's a long season, so I just try to stay positive all the time and have quality at-bats," Pujols said. "I can't control when I hit the ball, how hard it goes, or how far I hit it, so some days I put myself in a good position to put a good swing on it. That's all I can do for hopefully 600 at-bats."
Huston Street got four outs for his 15th save, striking out Yoenis Cespedes with the bases loaded to end the eighth as the Angels nudged their record back above .500 (25-24).
Los Angeles has won the first two of its four games against Detroit, which has lost four straight at the Big A.
Santiago left with one out in the eighth after Jose Iglesias' bloop single on his 111th pitch. Cam Bedrosian left one out later with the bases loaded, but Street made his first eighth-inning appearance of the season and fanned Cespedes on four pitches.
Anibal Sanchez (3-6) yielded six hits in seven strong innings, but the Tigers were shut out for the second time in five days.
Detroit has scored just six runs in its last five games while losing five of seven overall.
"Nothing is happening. We're not hitting," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "It's no secret, so we've got to try to do something on the bases and try to score somehow. It's not lack of effort. It's not lack of hard work."
Pujols scored in the fourth when Ian Kinsler misplayed Matt Joyce's bases-loaded grounder, which could have been turned into an easy inning-ending double play.
One pitch after he thought he had drawn a walk in the sixth, Pujols homered for the second straight game against Detroit, lifting a full-count pitch into the bullpens beyond the left-field fence for his 10th homer. He sits four homers behind Jimmie Foxx for 17th place on baseball's career list.
"Eventually, we're going to get out of this and we're going to hit," center fielder Rajai Davis said. "Obviously this is not what we scripted, but it's here, so we've just got to let this make us stronger and better."
SMITH HURTING
The Angels couldn't use eighth-inning reliever Joe Smith after he woke up with a stiff neck, which forced Bedrosian into the game and required Street to go longer than normal. "There's just times during the season where you've got to step out of your comfort zone," Street said. "As a closer, your job is to get a save whenever a save opportunity presents itself."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera was back in the lineup after C.J. Wilson hit him in his surgically repaired right foot Thursday.
Angels: Erick Aybar sat out with a strained hamstring. The shortstop was injured Thursday, and the Angels are hoping he won't be out long.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Shane Greene (4-3, 4.27 ERA) goes after his third victory in four starts.
Angels: Jered Weaver (3-4, 4.06 ERA) goes after his fourth win in five starts to cap an impressive May.
The slugger and the left-hander are finally getting the numbers to match their stellar performances.
Pujols had his 530th career homer among three hits, and Santiago pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning of the Los Angeles Angels' 2-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Santiago (4-3) was finally rewarded for an impressive May, getting just his second victory in his last seven starts despite yielding only five earned runs in his last 33 1/3 innings. He has been hurt by some of the majors' worst run support, but Santiago got everything he needed from Pujols, who scored both of Los Angeles' runs.
"(The Tigers) have been tough on left-handed pitchers, but I guess I'm a different left-handed pitcher," said Santiago, who struck out seven and walked three. "Everything was working. I just go to their power, wherever they think their strongest spot is, and try to hit it."
Pujols is surging after a slow start despite impressive contact on a near-nightly basis. The three-time NL MVP is 8 for 18 midway through a 10-game homestand, and his average is up to .250 after languishing below .200 in early May.
"It's a long season, so I just try to stay positive all the time and have quality at-bats," Pujols said. "I can't control when I hit the ball, how hard it goes, or how far I hit it, so some days I put myself in a good position to put a good swing on it. That's all I can do for hopefully 600 at-bats."
Huston Street got four outs for his 15th save, striking out Yoenis Cespedes with the bases loaded to end the eighth as the Angels nudged their record back above .500 (25-24).
Los Angeles has won the first two of its four games against Detroit, which has lost four straight at the Big A.
Santiago left with one out in the eighth after Jose Iglesias' bloop single on his 111th pitch. Cam Bedrosian left one out later with the bases loaded, but Street made his first eighth-inning appearance of the season and fanned Cespedes on four pitches.
Anibal Sanchez (3-6) yielded six hits in seven strong innings, but the Tigers were shut out for the second time in five days.
Detroit has scored just six runs in its last five games while losing five of seven overall.
"Nothing is happening. We're not hitting," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "It's no secret, so we've got to try to do something on the bases and try to score somehow. It's not lack of effort. It's not lack of hard work."
Pujols scored in the fourth when Ian Kinsler misplayed Matt Joyce's bases-loaded grounder, which could have been turned into an easy inning-ending double play.
One pitch after he thought he had drawn a walk in the sixth, Pujols homered for the second straight game against Detroit, lifting a full-count pitch into the bullpens beyond the left-field fence for his 10th homer. He sits four homers behind Jimmie Foxx for 17th place on baseball's career list.
"Eventually, we're going to get out of this and we're going to hit," center fielder Rajai Davis said. "Obviously this is not what we scripted, but it's here, so we've just got to let this make us stronger and better."
SMITH HURTING
The Angels couldn't use eighth-inning reliever Joe Smith after he woke up with a stiff neck, which forced Bedrosian into the game and required Street to go longer than normal. "There's just times during the season where you've got to step out of your comfort zone," Street said. "As a closer, your job is to get a save whenever a save opportunity presents itself."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Miguel Cabrera was back in the lineup after C.J. Wilson hit him in his surgically repaired right foot Thursday.
Angels: Erick Aybar sat out with a strained hamstring. The shortstop was injured Thursday, and the Angels are hoping he won't be out long.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Shane Greene (4-3, 4.27 ERA) goes after his third victory in four starts.
Angels: Jered Weaver (3-4, 4.06 ERA) goes after his fourth win in five starts to cap an impressive May.
10:05 PM ET, May 29, 2015
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, California
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Detroit - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Davis struck out looking. | 0 | 0 |
| Kinsler popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Cabrera walked. | 0 | 0 |
| Céspedes struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Giavotella flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Trout flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Pujols lined out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| J.D. Martinez struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| McCann grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Castellanos lined out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Calhoun grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Freese struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Joyce flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Pérez bunt grounded out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Iglesias grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Davis popped out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Iannetta struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Nieuwenhuis doubled to deep center. | 0 | 0 |
| Featherston grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Giavotella struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Kinsler flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Cabrera grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Céspedes flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Trout singled to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Trout caught stealing second, catcher to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Pujols singled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Calhoun singled to left, Pujols to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Freese walked, Pujols to third, Calhoun to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Joyce safe at first on error by second baseman Kinsler, Pujols scored, Calhoun to third, Freese to second. | 0 | 1 |
| Iannetta grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Joyce out at second. | 0 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| J.D. Martinez singled to center. | 0 | 1 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| J.D. Martinez stole second. | 0 | 1 |
| Castellanos grounded out to second, J.D. Martinez to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Pérez lined out to center. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Nieuwenhuis struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Featherston struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Giavotella walked. | 0 | 1 |
| Trout struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Iglesias struck out looking. | 0 | 1 |
| Davis walked. | 0 | 1 |
| Davis stole second. | 0 | 1 |
| Davis caught stealing third, catcher to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Kinsler flied out to center. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Pujols homered to left (391 feet). | 0 | 2 |
| Calhoun grounded out to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Freese doubled to left. | 0 | 2 |
| Joyce popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| Iannetta struck out looking. | 0 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Cabrera singled to left center. | 0 | 2 |
| Céspedes popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 2 |
| J.D. Martinez flied out to left. | 0 | 2 |
| McCann walked, Cabrera to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Castellanos struck out looking. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Anibal Sanchez pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Nieuwenhuis struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Featherston struck out looking. | 0 | 2 |
| Giavotella lined out to left. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Hector Santiago pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Pérez struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Iglesias singled to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Bedrosian relieved Santiago. | 0 | 2 |
| Davis singled to right, Iglesias to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Kinsler grounded out to first, Iglesias to third, Davis to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Cabrera intentionally walked. | 0 | 2 |
| Street relieved Bedrosian. | 0 | 2 |
| Céspedes struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Angel Nesbitt pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Nesbitt relieved Sánchez. | 0 | 2 |
| Trout flied out to left. | 0 | 2 |
| Pujols singled to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Green ran for Pujols. | 0 | 2 |
| Calhoun lined out to third. | 0 | 2 |
| Freese grounded into fielder's choice to third, Green out at second. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Huston Street pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Green at first base. | 0 | 2 |
| J.D. Martinez flied out to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Gose hit for McCann. | 0 | 2 |
| Gose lined out to second. | 0 | 2 |
| Castellanos struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit Tigers | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Davis CF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | .269 | .350 | .398 |
| Kinsler 2B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | .272 | .350 | .356 |
| Cabrera 1B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 16 | .331 | .441 | .583 |
| Céspedes LF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | .279 | .314 | .468 |
| J.D. Martinez RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | .255 | .324 | .451 |
| McCann C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | .284 | .318 | .412 |
a-Gose PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .327 | .365 | .456 |
| Castellanos DH | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | .233 | .282 | .372 |
| Pérez 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .061 | .088 | .061 |
| Iglesias SS | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | .333 | .390 | .426 |
| Totals | 30 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 138 | |||
| a-lined out to second for J Mccann in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING Tigers RISP: 0-5 (Céspedes 0-1, Pérez 0-1, Kinsler 0-1, Castellanos 0-2) Team LOB: 7 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: J.D. Martinez (2, 2nd base off Santiago/Iannetta); Davis (12, 2nd base off Santiago/Iannetta) CS: Davis (3, 3rd base by Santiago/Iannetta) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING E: Kinsler (3, ground ball) DP: 1 (Iglesias-Kinsler-Cabrera). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA |
| Attendance | 41,901 (92.1% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:46 |
| Weather | 72 degrees, partly cloudy |
| Wind | 9 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Will Little, First Base - Phil Cuzzi, Second Base - Gerry Davis, Third Base - Adam Hamari |
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