ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Albert Pujols hit a two-out, broken-bat single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, giving the Los Angeles Angels a walk-off win over the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Monday night.
Kevin Quackenbush (1-1) gave up a one-out walk to Marc Krauss and No. 9 hitter Johnny Giavotella followed with a single up the middle that sent pinch-runner Collin Cowgill to third.
Closer Craig Kimbrel came in and struck out Erick Aybar. But Pujols slapped a 1-0 pitch through the left side of the infield after an intentional walk to reigning AL MVP Mike Trout.
Joe Smith (1-1) pitched two innings for the victory.
Jered Weaver was charged with a run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings after winning his previous three starts. The 10-year veteran, who won 18 games last season to help the Angels win their sixth AL West title under manager Mike Scioscia, was pulled after 104 pitches with a 3-0 lead. That was promptly squandered by rookie Jose Alvarez.
The 26-year-old left-hander failed to retire any of the three batters he faced, giving up a walk to pinch-hitter Jedd Gyorko, an RBI double to Yangervis Solarte and a tying two-run single to Will Venable that got Tyson Ross off the hook. Prior to his at-bat, Solarte was 7 for 16 with runners in scoring position and two out.
Ross allowed three runs and 10 hits over six innings and struck out seven as the Padres opened the second leg of their Southern California road trip following Sunday's 11-3 rout at Dodger Stadium that included six RBIs by Justin Upton.
Ross struck out four of his first five batters before giving up a two-out double to Matt Joyce, who advanced on Derek Norris' passed ball and scored when rookie Carlos Perez beat out an infield single up the middle.
Joyce increased the margin to 2-0 in the fourth with a one-out RBI single, after Kole Calhoun led off with a hit and stole second. Joyce got picked off on a play that was ruled a caught stealing, and Ross gave up a single to Perez and a double to Krauss before retiring Giavotella on a comebacker.
The Angels kept the heat on Ross in the fifth, putting runners at second and third with none out. The right-hander fanned Pujols and retired David Freese on a popup after an intentional walk to Calhoun, but threw a wild pitch that allowed Aybar to score and make it 3-0.
San Diego's Abraham Almonte robbed Trout of an RBI double — and possibly a triple — in the third with a sprinting, lunging snow-cone catch in the right field corner. Giavotella tagged and went to third, but was stranded when third baseman Will Middlebrooks grabbed Pujols' vicious line drive as he crossed the foul line.
The Padres had two on and none out in the fourth, before Weaver got a gift from umpire Scott Barry on a pitch low and away that was a called third strike against Matt Kemp. Upton then struck out and Norris flied out, prompting Weaver to let out a huge sigh of relief as he looked toward the sky on his way to the dugout.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: CF Wil Myers is scheduled to have another scan done on his left wrist in San Diego on Tuesday, the day he was eligible to come off the disabled list. He has been sidelined since May 11 because of tendinitis. "He's doing a lot of strengthening exercises and he's encouraged by how he feels. But right now, there's no timetable," manager Bud Black said. ... RHP Josh Johnson, who underwent Tommy John surgery early last season, has stopped throwing because of what Black described as a "nerve situation" in his neck.
Angels: LF Collin Cowgill wasn't in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of pain in his right hand. He pinch-ran for Krauss in the ninth.
UP NEXT:
Padres: Odrisamer Despaigne (2-3) has lost his last three starts, allowing 17 runs and 26 hits over 14 innings. The Padres were outscored 24-0 in those games by the Diamondbacks (11-0), Nationals (10-0) and Cubs (3-0).
Angels: Matt Shoemaker (3-4) has lost four of his last five decisions, and is coming off an 8-4 loss at Toronto in which he allowed eight runs in six innings. This will be his first career start against San Diego
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