The Los Angeles Angels stayed alive in the MLB playoff race with a win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night. Mike Trout and Albert Pujols helped the team to a crucial victory while also achieving career milestones.
Trout smashed his 40th home run of 2015, which was the first time in five MLB seasons that he has reached that mark. The 24-year-old is now batting .293/.395/.584 with 95 runs scored, 40 home runs and 87 RBIs in yet another MVP-caliber season.
"The only other Angels player to amass 40 homers is former third baseman Troy Glaus, who hit 47 in 2000 and 41 in '01," according to Brian McTaggart and Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. "Trout now has 138 career home runs, the most ever by a center fielder through his age-23 season."
Check out Trout's historic home run below:
Later in the inning Pujols stepped into the batter's box and put one out of Minute Maid Park in a hurry. The 35-year-old hit a solo home run to extend the Angels' lead to 3-0 and passed Manny Ramirez on the MLB's all-time home run list with his 556th career blast.
Pujols' 2015 season is full of accomplishments. His 36 home runs on the year helped him pass Ted Williams, Frank Thomas, Millie McCovey, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt and now Ramirez. The veteran is batting .238/.300/.465 with 75 runs scored, 36 home runs and 87 RBIs in 146 games.
You can see his historic home run below:
Los Angeles sits 2.5 games behind the Astros for the second AL wild-card spot. They have one game remaining against Houston this season, which will take place tonight as the two clubs finish their three-game set. The Angels will then face the Mariners, Athletics and Rangers to close out 2015 in hopes of making the postseason.
