ALBERT PUJOLS‘ two-run single in the 11th was the winning hit in the Angels 8-7 win over the White Sox on Tuesday (Flickr/Keith Allison photo).

Hearts were broken Tuesday night in games involving Orange County’s two major sports teams. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim blew a three-run ninth inning lead but rallied for an 11th inning walkoff win, while the Anaheim Ducks found that a one-goal edge in the second period wasn’t enough to avoid a loss in Game Three of their Stanley Cup playoff series.

PUJOLS’ SINGLE LIFTS HALOS TO WIN, .500

Albert Pujols is best known for the nearly 600 home runs he has hit in his long career, but right now Angels fans are celebrating a lowly single that drove in two runs in the bottom of the 11th in Anaheim to give the Halos an 8-7 win over the Chicago White Sox.

The victory was the team’s fourth in five games and squared its record at 21-21. That puts the Angels into a tie for second place in the American League West with the Texas Rangers. Both teams trail the Houston Astros by eight games.

Cruising along with a 5-2 lead going into the ninth, the Angels were rocked by three Chicago runs that sent the game into extra innings. In the top of the 11th, the Sox scored two more to take a 7-5 lead, but the Angels responded with three of their own, capped by Pujols’ key blow.

Not only did Pujols end up with three RBIs, he passed Carl Yastrzemski on the all-time runs-batted-in list. Cameron Maybin was another star at the plate for the Halos, going 5-for-6 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

DUCKS AGAIN TRAIL IN PLAYOFF SERIES

The Anaheim Ducks continue to make a habit out of falling behind in Stanley Cup playoff series this season. They lost 2-1 to the Nashville Predators on the road Tuesday night and now trail the Preds two games to one in their Western Conference finals series.

After a scoreless first period, Corey Perry gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead at 15:35 of the second, but that wouldn’t hold up. Filip Forsberg tied it for Nashville at 3:54 and Roman Josi got the game-winner at 17:17 on a power play.

The series continues Thursday at Bridgestone Arena. Game Five will be in Anaheim on Saturday.