Anaheim, CA – Albert Pujols homered and knocked in four runs to lead the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim past the Cleveland Indians, 9-6, in the second of three games at Angel Stadium.
Torii Hunter, Erick Aybar and Chris Iannetta added a pair of hits and an RBI apiece for the Angels, who snapped a three-game slide. Ernesto Frieri worked a perfect ninth to earn his 14th save of the year.
Zack Greinke (1-1) allowed four runs on eight hits and a walk to earn his first win as a member of the Angels. He had been 0-1 in three starts since being dealt to the team from Milwaukee on July 27.
"I didn't worry about their hitters tonight. I just pitched to where my strengths are," Greinke said. "I'm glad I was able to pitch one of my normal games."
Michael Brantley had three hits, including a home run, two RBI and three runs scored for Cleveland, which had won four of its last six entering Tuesday.
Ubaldo Jimenez (9-12) surrendered a career high-tying eight runs on eight hits and two walks over four innings to take the loss.
The Angels took an early lead in their first at-bat as the first five hitters of the frame reached base.
Mike Trout started the rally with a leadoff double and quickly came home on Hunter's base hit up the middle. Pujols' walk was then followed by back-to- back RBI singled by Kendrys Morales and Mark Trumbo, scoring Hunter and Pujols.
Alberto Callaspo flied out to right to end the streak before Howie Kendrick was hit with a pitch to load the bases. After an Aybar grounder to first resulted in Morales getting forced out at home, Iannetta hit a hard grounder towards short that Asdrubal Cabrera could not handle to plate Trumbo and give the Angels a 4-0 advantage.
Cleveland cut into its deficit in the fourth inning when Carlos Santana was hit by a pitch with two outs before Brantley hammered a ball into the right- field seats.
But LA answered with Aybar's leadoff blast to right-center field and a Pujols three-run shot to left field in the bottom of the fourth to make it an 8-2 game.
Iannetta walked and Trout singled prior to Pujols' 26th homer of the season.
After Pujols doubled in Hunter in the sixth, the Indians loaded the bases with one out in the seventh on singles by Brantley, Jason Donald and Jack Hannahan.
Cleveland would get a pair of runs on Ezequiel Carrera's infield single and a Jason Kipnis RBI groundout to first before Casey Kotchman followed Brantley's two-out single in the eighth with a home run to right to get within 9-6.
But the Indians would get no closer as Kevin Jepsen entered to record the final out of the eighth and Frieri shut the door in the ninth.
"We put up a fight in the second half of the game, but we put ourselves in a hole in the first part," Indians manger Manny Acta said. "We were too deep in a hole before the fifth inning."
Game Notes
Cleveland placed pitcher Josh Tomlin on the 15-day disabled list and reinstated pitcher Roberto Hernandez off the 15-day disabled list earlier Tuesday ... Greinke had gone eight starts overall without a win. He improved to 9-9 in 28 career appearances (23 starts) against Cleveland ... Jimenez fell to 0-3 lifetime in three starts against the Angels ... The Indians lead the season series between the teams, 5-3.
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