Pujols’ two homers power Halos past Texas

ANAHEIM — It was a nondescript night in July, the middle of a three-game series pinning two teams on opposite ends of the standings, but Albert Pujols reminded the Rangers of October.

In a performance akin to his epic three-homer masterpiece in Game 3 of the 2011 World Series, Pujols put the Angels on his back Tuesday, launching a couple of three-run homers in an 8-6 victory at Angel Stadium, his team’s fifth in a row and ninth in the last 11 games.

Tim Lincecum was shaky once again, allowing 11 baserunners and giving up five runs (three of them earned) in five innings, putting his ERA at 6.59 through six starts. But Pujols hit two titanic blasts against Kyle Lohse, his teammate with the Cardinals from 2008-11.

The first, on a first-pitch changeup in the fourth, went 107 mph off the bat and traveled a projected distance of 380 feet, according to Statcast™. The second, on a 3-1 slider in the fifth, was even more impressive, traveling 421 feet and 108 mph. Pujols’ six RBIs were his most in a regular-season game since 2009 and his most in any game since that signature World Series contest.

The Angels designated hitter nearly took a fastball to the face in the seventh inning. Rangers reliever Tony Barnette threw a 92-mph fastball up and in that caught the brim of Pujols’ helmet but also his forehead, near his left eye. Pujols remained on one knee for a …

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