Pujols Goes Yard, Nats Bats Go Silent In 7-2 Loss to Angels
By Pablo Roa
Apr 22, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles Angels first baseman
Albert Pujols(5) celebrates with teammates at home plate after hitting his 500th career home run in the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
On a night when Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols made history with his 499th and 500th career home runs, the Washington Nationals were unable to recover from an early deficit and lost game two of the series by a score of 7-2.
As has been the case throughout the season for the Nationals, things got off to a very bad start for the team’s starting pitcher. In the top of the first inning, Nationals starter Taylor Jordan gave up a leadoff double to J. B. Shuck before Mike Trout reached base on a throwing error by Anthony Rendon, putting two runners on with no outs for Pujols. Within minutes, the first baseman made Jordan regret his decision, depositing the right-hander’s fourth pitch into the left field seats for number 499, making it a 3-0 game. The Angels scored another run later in the inning on an RBI single by Chris Iannetta.
For the first time in quite a while, it looked like the Nationals were mounting a serious rally in the bottom of the third inning, loading the bases with no outs. With Danny Espinosa at the plate, a wild pitch by Angels starter Tyler Skaggs allowed Sandy Leon to score from third. Skaggs then hit Espinosa with a pitch, loading the bases for Jayson Werth with nobody out. But Werth continued his recent struggles with the bat by grounding into a double play which allowed Jordan to score from third, but killed the Nationals rally, making it a 4-2 game.
Jordan managed to shut down the Angels lineup for the next couple of innings, until Pujols came up to bat in the top of the fifth inning. With Mike Trout at first base, Pujols unleashed a monster two-run home run to center field, becoming the 26th player to join the 500 home run club. Pujols was mobbed by his teammates at home plate and greeted by a standing ovation from the always-classy crowd at Nationals Park. The homer made it a 6-2 game and essentially put it out of reach for the Nationals, but it was still a special moment to watch and a small piece of baseball history. In case you missed it, checkout the GIF below and try to pretend that he hit it against another team…
The Angels scored one more run in the top of the eighth inning and won the game 7-2, securing a series win. The two teams will be back at it again tomorrow when Gio Gonzalez and the Nationals try to avoid a sweep at the hands of Jered Weaver and the Angels.