Travis Ishikawa Powers Giants Past Royals; Albert Pujols Goes Yard Three Times as Angels Sweep Red Sox

Players of the Day for Monday, July 20, 2015

American League

Pujols' 3 HR passes
Mike Schmidt

Albert Pujols took over the AL home run lead from teammate Mike Trout on Monday, socking three homers as the Angels swept a double-header from visiting Boston, slaughtering the Red Sox, 11-1 in the first game and completing the four-game series sweep with a 7-3 win in the nightcap.

Pujols whacked a solo shot in the second inning of the first game, when the Angels piled up seven runs routing starter Eduardo Rodriguez, who was tabled for all of the runs and lasted only 1 2/3 innings.

In the second game, Pujols sent two balls out of the yard - a solo homer and a two-run shot - securing a two-game lead over idle Houston in the AL West. Pujols has 29 homers on the season, already surpassing last year's total of 28.

Pujols was a combined 4-for-7 in the two games, driving in four runs. He has 60 RBI on the season, good for fifth place in the AL, behind Kansas City's Kendrys Morales (65).

The Angels have won five straight since the All-Star break. Trout was named MVP of the All-Star Game, won by the American League, 6-3.

Pujols passed Mike Schmidt (548) on the all-time home run list with 549 dingers.


National League

Ishikawa: 4 RBI

The Pittsburgh Pirated continued their relentless pursuit of NL-Central-leading St. Louis, with a 10-7 road win at Kansas City.

Pittsburgh trails the Cardinals by four games in the division race, but has the second-best record in the league. Their mark of 55-38 has them 5 1/2 games up on the Giants in the Wild Card standings.

The Pirates got a big boost from the bat of Travis Ishikawa, a .174 hitter who delivered four RBI with a home run and pair of doubles in five at-bats.

Ishikawa dd his damage early, with a two-run double in the second inning and a two-run homer in the fifth.

The Pirates face the Royals again on Tuesday night at 8:10 pm ET in the second of their three-game set.