ALBERT PUJOLS hit his 13th homer of the season on Sunday in the Angels’ 3-0 win over Texas (Flickr/Marianne O’Leary).

The struggling Los Angeles Angels, with an offense that seems to be wilting in the summer heat, got a refreshing break on Sunday from the pitching performance of J.C. Ramirez. His efforts – along with that of three relievers – helped the Halos post a 3-0 win in Arlington.

Thanks to that victory, the team (45-47) moved back into a tie for second in the American League West with the Rangers.

Ramirez (8-7) worked six innings and gave up just two hits, although he walked five batters. The relief corps yielded no hits and just one walk, and Bud Norris picked up his 13th save.

Albert Pujols’ first inning home run was all the Angels would end up needing, but they tacked on a single run in the fifth and ninth. Pujols’ four-bagger was his 13th of the season and number 604 of his career.

The win finished the “first half” of the season, with the All-Star break coming up and the imminent return of Mike Trout.

“This isn’t just about, ‘Okay, we feel good, we won a game,'” Angel manager Mike Scioscia said. “We have to get better if we want to reach our goal, and we feel we will. We’re really confident that we will get better as we move forward, and that’s, I think, when we can start to build some momentum.”