MLB Rankings: Baseball’s Greatest Hits of Week-22
By Bill Felber
MLB Rankings: Greatest Hits in Week-22
3. Albert Pujols, 48 percent
That Pujols made the final out of the Angels’ 7-6 loss to Boston was ironic because until that instant, he had been the local hero. Pujols singled in the first inning, then singled again and drove home two runs in the fifth.
Even so, the Angels came to the bottom of the ninth trailing 4-2 and needing a quick turnaround to avoid a seventh loss in their last eight games. Facing Brandon Workman, they got some assistance when Workman opened the inning by walking Brian Goodwin on a 3-2 pitch and Mike Trout on four pitches.
Shohei Ohtani batted next, but his ground ball only forced Trout at second. With one out, Pujols stepped in and ripped a hanging curve into right field for a base hit. Goodwin scored easily, and when Mookie Betts boxed the pickup Ohtani raced all the way home with the tying run as Pujols pulled in to second.
That gave LA a chance to win the game in regulation, but they weren’t up to that challenge. Around two intentional walks, Workman struck out David Fletcher and then got Matt Thaiss on a ground ball to end the ninth in a 6-6 tie.
It would require six innings for Betts to erase his bungle with the game-winning home run.