ANAHEIM -- Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols hit his 586th career home run in the first inning on Monday night against the Reds, tying Frank Robinson for ninth place in Major League history. Next on the all-time list is Sammy Sosa, with 609.
The Angels launched five home runs and had nine extra-base hits in breezing to a 9-2 victory over the Reds at Angel Stadium behind Matt Shoemaker (9-13). He worked seven strong innings without a walk for his third consecutive victory, getting in the groove after giving up a Joey Votto homer in the first inning.
"It was nice to come back," Angels first baseman C.J. Cron said of their three-run bottom of the first. "After that [Shoemaker] settled in and started throwing zeros."
Four Angels -- Mike Trout, Jefry Marte, Cron and Kole Calhoun -- missed hitting for the cycle by a triple. About the only thing missing from their fifth victory in six games was postgame commentary by Pujols, who departed before the clubhouse opened. Apparently, he was content to let his big bat do the talking this time -- or maybe he's just running out of things to say about such milestones.
• All-time home run list
Pujols' homer also gave him 1,800 career RBIs and made him the seventh player in history to reach 1,200 extra-base hits. His homer followed Trout's two-run shot, also off Reds starter Dan Straily. It was Pujols' 47th career homer off Cincinnati pitching.
Pujols added another RBI in the third inning with a double off Straily, driving in Trout for his 100th run, the fifth season he's scored that many. Trout's homer was his 25th this season, the fifth year in a row he's hit that many, and he joined Pujols in being the only players to hit 25 homers and score 100 runs in their first five seasons.
"It's always special," Trout said. "I'm very fortunate to play with Albert. Being in the same sentence with him, it's just unbelievable."
The only players with more RBIs than Pujols in a 16-year span are Jimmie Foxx (1,879 from 1927-42) and Alex Rodriguez (1,872 from 1996-2011).
The first six players to reach 1,200 extra-base hits were Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays and Rodriguez.
Asked about his two stars' seemingly endless streak of historic accomplishments, manager Mike Scioscia said: "It's safe to say, when you're talking about some of these things both of these guys have done, they're two incredibly talented players, and they go about it in the right way."