Supporting cast holds key to success for Angels

ANAHEIM — Mike Trout and Albert Pujols are the center of the Angels’ offensive universe. Good as they are, however, they aren’t good enough to carry a franchise.

They know it. Manager Mike Scioscia knows it. Heck, everybody in baseball knows it.

This is their fifth season as teammates. They made it to the postseason only once in the first four. The Angels won the American League West title in 2014 before being swept by the Royals in three games in the AL Division Series.

Trout and Pujols have been key figures in helping the injury-plagued Halos to win five of their past six games, including a sweep of the AL West-leading Mariners and then taking two of the first three games in their four-game set vs. the Interleague rival Dodgers.

Trout and Pujols, however, have not been a two-man offense.

Oh, the duo has been good. Trout got everything started at Angel Stadium in an 8-1 victory vs. the Dodgers on Wednesday night with the 39th first-inning home run of his career. He then added two more singles, a walk and two more runs scored.

Pujols had two hits, drove in a run, scored a run, walked twice, and he has a .367 average to show for the six-game surge in which he has had two three-RBI games and Trout has driven in five runs and scored nine runs.

It is, however, what is happening around Trout and Pujols in the Angels’ lineup that has provided a reason for hope for the Halos, despite injuries that have put 10 players on the disabled list, including starting shortstop Andrelton Simmons and backup Cliff Pennington, catcher Geovany Soto, the left-field combo of Craig Gentry and Daniel Nava, and five pitchers.

Trout and Pujols are elite …

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