Rays' return home spoiled by Albert Pujols, Angels
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) -- Another milestone for Albert Pujols on Tuesday night meant another loss at home for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Pujols tied Mickey Mantle for 16th place on the all-time home run list, Kole Calhoun drove in a career-high four runs, and the Los Angeles Angels stopped a season-high five-game losing streak by beating the Rays 8-2.
Pujols hit his 536th homer to tie the New York Yankees great, an opposite-field shot to right field on an 0-1 pitch from Nathan Karns in the fifth inning. Pujols has eight homers in his last 11 games, and 16 overall this season.
"Great player, future Hall of Famer," said Rays manager Kevin Cash. "(I would) prefer for him to go ahead and get out of Tampa."
Joey Butler had two RBIs for the Rays, who returned home following a 7-3 road trip. Tampa Bay (31-28) is just 14-17 at home after committing three errors in a game for the first time this season.
"We didn't catch the ball as well as we normally do, and it led to some early runs," Cash said. "A little uncharacteristic of us. They just jumped out to an early lead and then (came) a big home run by Pujols to kind of separate the game."
Pujols broke a tie for 15th place with George Brett on his 1,120th extra-base hit, a leadoff double in the third. He then scored on David Freese's double. Pujols' homer moved him within one of tying Manny Ramirez (1,122) for 14th place.
Freese extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
Karns (3-3) gave up five runs and nine hits over 5 2-3 innings. Two errors contributed to the Angels' two-run first inning.
"I guess you could say I kept damage to a minimum," Karns said. "It's a tough first inning to get going after a day off, but I have to tip my hat off to them. They had a good day at the plate."
The Angels' 15 hits was a season high against the Rays, who gave up only four runs in a four-game weekend series at Seattle.
Calhoun had an RBI double during a two-run first, a sixth-inning run-scoring single, and a two-run single in a three-run eighth.
Matt Shoemaker (4-4) improved to 3-0 in three starts against Tampa Bay after allowing two runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings.
The Rays optioned left-hander Enny Romero to Triple-A Durham immediately after the game.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: OF Collin Cowgill (sprained right wrist) ran the bases and could take batting practice in a few days.
Rays: 3B Evan Longoria (sore left wrist) was out of the lineup for the third straight game, but expects to start Wednesday night. He struck out as a pinch-hitter with two on and two outs in the seventh. ... LHP Matt Moore (elbow ligament replacement surgery) threw four scoreless innings for Class-A Charlotte against Dunedin in his second rehab start.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Jered Weaver (4-5) looks to rebound Wednesday night after allowing a season-high seven earned runs over 5 2-3 innings in a loss Friday night to the New York Yankees. He will face Rays RHP Erasmo Ramirez (4-2).
