Angels rise into 3rd with 13-3 rout

Like voters in old-time Chicago, the Los Angeles Angels tallied early and often on Sunday, crushing the Seattle Mariners 13-3. The win – the Halos’ seventh in nine games – pushed them into a tie for third place in the American League West.

Starter Jose Suarez posted his first major league win and Albert Pujols drove in five runs as the Angels swept the series at T-Mobile Park.

Pujols homered – his 11th of the season – and doubled for his five runs. Also hot with a bat was Mike Trout with three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs. But that’s not all. Leadoff batter David Fletcher was 3-for-5 and scored twice, raising his batting average to .323. And let’s not forget Luis Rengifo going deep for his first homer.

Overall, the Orange County team had 15 hits.

Suarez (1-0) worked 5.2 innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs. He struck out four batters and walked three.

The Angels scored seven times in the second inning, then added five in the fifth and one in the sixth. The Mariners helped by committing three fielding errors.

On Monday the Angels will be in Chicago to take on the Cubs to make up a game postponed from April 14.