Angels shake off early-season offensive struggles

HOUSTON -- It's dangerous to put weight on any numbers so early in the season, so take this for what it's worth: The Angels, Major League leaders in runs scored a year ago, are tied for 25th in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, 20th in slugging and 19th in runs through the first two weeks of the 2015 season.

That last part is of most significance to Albert Pujols.

"Ask me in September, see where we're at," Pujols said after the Angels' 4-3 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park on Sunday. "Twelve games into the season is too early to ask what it's going to take [for the offense to get going]. We have a lot of baseball left. Obviously, a little bit of a slow start, but we need to flip the page."

On Saturday, the Angels were shut out on the road for the first time since July 2013. On Sunday, all of their production came from a couple of homers, a two-run shot from C.J. Cron and a solo homer by Pujols. They went 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position, while dropping two of three in the weekend series, and six of their regulars -- Pujols, Cron, Collin Cowgill, Erick Aybar, Matt Joyce and Chris Iannetta -- are currently batting below .200.

Video: LAA@HOU: Pujols hits a solo home run to left field

That will change, of course. It just hasn't yet.

"We have some guys who are good hitters who aren't getting hits to fall in right now," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think the track record with some of these guys shows what they can do. We're really confident that guys will get it going and our lineup will deepen."