Albert Pujols is on fire helps Angels extend win streak.

Albert Pujols has been red-hot since the Angels have comeback from the All-Star break hitting four home runs in his last three games and has driven in 11 runs during that span. The Angels are on their longest winning streak of the season, five games and Pujols is a big reason why the offense has picked up.

Pujols had only hit one home run in his last 16 games and none in his last 10 games going into Sunday’s game against the White Sox. Pujols changed all that in his first at-bat against Jacob Turner hitting his 16th homer of the season to give the Angels a 2-0 lead. In his next at-bat in the fourth inning Pujols hit an absolute bomb another two-run shot over both bullpens in left field and the Angels were rolling.

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Fast-forward to Tuesday night Pujols came up with the Angels trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning against first place Texas and hits a three-run homer to left to tie the game at 3. The Rangers would take the lead back in the top of the 5th 5-4.

So what does Pujols do in his next at-bat. After an intentional walk to Mike Trout with a runner on third, Trout stole second. The Rangers elect to pitch to Pujols despite having first base open. That was a mistake, a big mistake as Pujols tattoos Kyle Lohse‘s 3-1 pitch and hits over the left-centerfield wall for his second three-run homer of the game and gave the Angels the lead back 7-5 which they would not relinquish in an 8-6 victory.

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There was a scary moment in the bottom of the 7th as Rangers reliever Tony Barnette threw an a fastball high and inside hitting Pujols in the helmet and then the face and shoulder. Pujols went down and the Angels training crew and manager Mike Scioscia ran out to check on the slugger. After a couple of minutes Pujols trotted to first and stayed in the game.

Tim Lincecum picked up his second win of the season despite giving up five runs (three earned) in five innings of work. The bullpen made the lead hold up and Huston Street got his first save since June 14th giving up one hit in the ninth but holding the Rangers scoreless to pick up his eighth save in ten chances. Jett Bandy hit his third homer of the season in the sixth inning to provide a big insurance run.

The Angels will go for their second straight series sweep Wednesday as Hector Santiago tries to keep his 20 inning streak of not giving up an earned run intact. The Rangers will counter with lefty Martin Perez.

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The Angels got some more bad news Wednesday afternoon as an MRI revealed Nick Tropeano tore his UCL in his right elbow and is done for the season. Tropeano is the third Angels pitcher to go down with the same injury this season as Andrew Heaney and Garrett Richards went down early in the season. Heaney has already had Tommy John Surgery. Richards is waiting to see how his stem-cell treatment, he opted instead of Tommy John surgery, is responding.

Tyler Skaggs will most likely take Tropeano’s place in the rotation possibly as early as this Sunday against Houston. Skaggs’ seventh rehab start with the Salt Lake City Bees scheduled for Tuesday night was postponed due to rain. He is scheduled as of now to pitch the first game of the doubleheader tomorrow, but he could be held out so he could be on schedule to start in Houston in place of Tropeano. Skaggs also underwent Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2014 and has yet to pitch in a Major League game this season.

With all that said, the Angels keep rolling and hope they will continue to do so tomorrow and into the weekend against Houston.

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