DETROIT — Albert Pujols turned on a fastball over the middle of the plate, sent the no-doubt shot deep into the left-field seats, flipped his bat toward celebrating teammates in the dugout and trotted around the bases.

By the time he stepped on home plate, the three-time MVP was in an elite group of three players in baseball history.

Pujols became the third player with 2,000 career RBI when he hit a solo homer in the third inning Thursday to help the Los Angeles Angels rout the Detroit Tigers 13-0.

“We end up winning the game and winning the series. That’s more special,” he said. “It’s a great moment to be out there, the third one on the list.”

Pujols joined Hank Aaron (2,297) and Alex Rodriguez (2,086) as the players to reach the milestone since 1920. Babe Ruth is credited with 1,992 RBI because baseball’s official records don’t count the runs the slugger drove in with the Red Sox from 1914 through 1919.

Pujols received an ovation from the sparse crowd at Comerica Park, where his accomplishment was recognized on the videoboard and by the public address announcer.

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YANKEES 3, MARINERS 1: J.A. Happ and four relievers combined on a two-hitter, Cameron Maybin contributed with his bat and glove, and New York won at home.

The Yankees won for the fourth time in five games and headed to Tampa Bay to play the AL East-leading Rays for the first time this year.

The Mariners lost second baseman Dee Gordon, who exited early after being hit around the right wrist by Happ’s pitch.

INDIANS 5, WHITE SOX 0: Carlos Carrasco held Chicago to two hits, Jordan Luplow hit his first two home runs of the season and Cleveland won at home in a game that was called after five innings following a rain delay of 2 hours, 34 minutes.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CUBS 4, MARLINS 1: Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo homered and host Chicago won for the 10th time in 11 games.

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Bryant sparked a two-run first with his sixth homer in 12 games. Rizzo connected for the sixth time in 11 games with a two-run drive in the fifth against Trevor Richards. And the Cubs overcame another shaky outing by Yu Darvish.

The four-time All-Star walked six – one shy of a season high – in just four innings, giving him 11 in his past two starts. Though he allowed just one run and one hit, only 50 of his 97 pitches were strikes.

ROCKIES 12, GIANTS 11: Nolan Arenado homered among his three hits and Chris Iannetta hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning to lead host Colorado.

Arenado reached base five times, starting with his 10th home run. Ian Desmond and Mark Reynolds also homered on a cold, sometimes wintry day at Coors Field.

The announced temperature at first pitch was 39 degrees and a steady snow fell in the first inning.

Colorado won despite two home runs and a career-best six RBI by Giants first baseman Tyler Austin.

INTERLEAGUE

REDS 3, ATHLETICS 0: Derek Dietrich continued his power surge with another home run, his fifth in six games, and Cincinnati blanked host Oakland to snap a 10-game interleague losing streak.


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