By ,
Published May 03, 2016
Anaheim, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Albert Pujols homered for a third straight game and the Angels went deep five times off Shane Greene in the first two innings in an 8-6 win over the Detroit Tigers Saturday night.
Pujols capped a big second inning with a three-run shot. Matt Joyce and Carlos Perez belted back-to-back homers in the second. Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun homered in the opening frame.
Jered Weaver (4-4) allowed nine hits and three runs over 6 1/3 innings to win his fourth consecutive decision. He was lifted after getting into a jam, but Cesar Ramos and Fernando Salas put out the fire to keep the Angels ahead by four runs.
According to STATS LLC, this is just the second time in MLB history a team has had five different players homer in the first two innings. Texas also accomplished the feat in 2005.
Greene (4-4) became the first pitcher in the modern era to give up five homers in less than two innings. He was lifted after Pujols' 11th blast of the season made the score 7-1 with two outs in the second. Other than the five homers, the only other hit given up by Greene was a single to Efren Navarro.
"I think he was just up the middle. The fastball was up and it didn't sink that much. I don't know if I've seen home runs like that happen that quickly," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
Yoenis Cespedes and Ian Kinsler belted solo homers for the Tigers, who lost for the sixth time in eight contests and are in danger of being swept in this four-game set. J.D. Martinez went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and scored twice.
Cespedes went deep to left to start the second after Trout homered to center and Calhoun hit one over the fence in right in the first inning.
Greene then completely fell apart in the bottom of the second. After Joyce and Perez began the frame with long balls, Navarro singled back to the mound. With two outs, Trout walked with two outs prior to Pujols launching a shot tight to the left-field line for his 11th homer of the season.
"We were due. We got good pitches to hit," Trout said. "Albert is a big reason why we're doing well."
Miguel Cabrera doubled to center to drive in Anthony Gose in the third and Martinez scored on a Nick Castellanos sacrifice fly in the fourth.
The Tigers got within two runs in the eighth. Cespedes scored on a Tyler Collins groundout, and James McCann doubled in Martinez. Joe Smith retired Castellanos on a grounder to end the inning.
David Freese scored on a Perez double in the home eighth and Huston Street gave up Kinsler's homer to center with two outs in the ninth. Cabrera flied out in foul territory down the right-field line to end the game. That secured Street's 16th save.
Game Notes
Cabrera has a 19-game on-base streak, currently the longest in the American League ... The five homers are one shy of a club record for a home game by the Angels. The franchise mark is seven, set June 4, 2003 against the Expos in Puerto Rico ... The last time the Angels swept a four-game set from the Tigers was April 19-22, 1996.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/angels-hit-5-hrs-off-greene-top-tigers