MLB Notebook: Angels on torrid shutout pace

Since 1973 -- the year the American League adopted the designated hitter rule -- the AL's high mark for team shutouts is 20, an apex shared by a pair of 1989 American League West clubs. That season, both the Athletics and Angels finished 20 ballgames without allowing a single run to the opposition. Oakland had 10 team shutouts through their first 91 games, while the Angels had eleven.

The 2012 Angels have been on an even better shutout pace than they were 1989. Coupled with an offense that has scored the fourth-most runs in the Majors since April 28 (Mike Trout's debut), the Angels currently sport the sixth-best run differential in the Majors.

The Angels defeated the Tigers 13-0 on Tuesday, posting their largest margin of victory in a shutout since 2004, while increasing their Major League-leading total of team shutouts to 14. The 14 team shutouts through 91 games are the most ever for the Angels franchise, and the most for an AL team since the 1971 Brewers had 14.

Mike Trout
Trout went 4-for-6, scored three runs, drove in two, and hit his 13th homer of the year, on Tuesday. Trout is now batting .355 with a .990 OPS.

Since 1901, only two players -- Ty Cobb and Alex Rodriguez -- have ever finished an age-20 season by qualifying for the batting title and hitting at least .350. In 1907, Cobb won the batting title with a .350 mark and Rodriguez captured the crown with a .358 average in '96.

Since 1901, only three players have finished their age-20 season with an OPS of at least 1.000 while qualifying for the batting title: Mel Ott (1.084 in 1929), Ted Williams (1.045 in '39) and Rodriguez (1.045 in '96).

Mark Trumbo
Trumbo doubled and homered in a 2-for-5 night. Trumbo has 16 doubles, three triples and 26 home runs on the season.

Trumbo owns an AL-leading .634 slugging percentage. The highest slugging percentage in Angels history is .604, by Troy Glaus in 2000.

Albert Pujols
Pujols hit his 16th home run and had two RBIs. This increased his total to 56 RBIs for the season, and 1,385 for his career.

If he reaches 1,400 this year, Pujols will become just the fourth player in history to reach that milestone in his first 12 seasons. Through their first 12 seasons, Joe DiMaggio had 1,466 RBIs, Al Simmons had 1,458 RBIs, and Lou Gehrig had 1,450 RBIs.

Tigers
The Tigers were shut out for the first time in 2012, in Tuesday's game. This snapped their streak of 90 consecutive games with at least one run.

The streak was the longest for the franchise in the live-ball era. It was also the longest in the Majors since the 2008 Rangers began that year by tallying a run in each of their first 96 contests.

Yankees
The Yankees defeated the Blue Jays, 6-1, and extended their streak of games with three or more runs to 41.

In the live-ball era, those 41 games match the 1930 Athletics for the second-longest single-season streak the game has ever seen. Only the 1994 Indians, 48 straight games with three-plus runs, produced a longer run.

Robinson Cano
Cano went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 20 games. This is the first 20-game hitting streak for the Yankees since Derek Jeter hit safely in 20 straight in 2007.

Cano is the fifth player this season to have a hitting streak of at least 20 games. The others are Michael Brantley (22), Pablo Sandoval (20), Angel Pagan (20), and Adam Jones (20).

CC Sabathia
Sabathia threw six scoreless innings and picked up the win. The Yankees southpaw now has 10 victories on the season.

Sabathia is the eighth pitcher in history to collect double-digit wins in each of his first 12 seasons. The others are Kid Nichols, Jack Powell, Vic Willis, Eddie Plank, Carl Hubbell, Don Sutton, and Tom Seaver.

Sabathia has 186 career victories. Since 1901, those 186 tie him with Andy Pettitte and Red Faber for the 32nd most for any pitcher through his first 12 seasons. Since 1901, Sabathia's 186 are the 15th most for any pitcher through his age-31 season.

Bryce Harper
In Washington's 5-4 win over New York, Harper went 2-for-5 with his fifth triple of the season.

Harper currently sports an OPS of .804. Only two players in baseball history have finished an age-19 (or younger) season with enough plate appearances to qualify for the batting title and an .800 OPS or higher. Mel Ott posted a .921 in 1928, and Cap Anson had an .803 OPS in 25 games in the National Association in 1871.

Chase Headley
In San Diego's 8-2 win over Houston, Headley went 1-for-4 with a hit by pitch.

Headley has reached base safely in 82 games this season, which is the most in the Majors.

Giants
Buster Posey doubled twice and drove in five runs, Barry Zito threw seven innings of three-hit ball, Melky Cabrera went 2-for-5 with a double and the Giants blanked the Braves 9-0.

Posey's career high in RBIs is six, accomplished on July 7, 2010. In both that game and this game, Posey started the contest at first base.

Giants starters own a 3.50 ERA, the third lowest in the Majors. They are behind the 3.17 ERA from the Nationals and the 3.37 ERA from the Dodgers.

Cabrera has 41 multi-hit games this season to lead the Majors. Since the start of the 2011 season, Cabrera has 102 multi-hit games, also the most in the Majors. In both categories the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, with 39 and 100 respectively, owns the second most.

Kevin Youkilis
Youkilis went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer, two runs scored and a walk, as the White Sox defeated the Red Sox, 7-5.

Since joining Chicago, Youkilis owns a .319/.415/.551 line with four homers and 18 RBIs in 18 games. In his 42 games with Boston this season, Youkilis compiled a .233/.315/.377 line and had four home runs and 14 RBIs.

Carlos Lee
Lee hit his 17th career grand slam on Tuesday and the Marlins defeated the Cubs 9-5. Lee, who has 1,322 career RBIs, is tied for seventh on the all-time list for grand slams.

Lee's 1,322 RBIs in his first 14 seasons are tied for the 24th most in history. Harry Heilmann also had 1,322 RBIs through his first 14 years.

Johnny Cueto
Cueto threw six scoreless innings and improved to 11-5 with a 2.28 ERA as the Reds blanked the Diamondbacks 4-0.

Cueto has five starts this season in which he has gone at least six innings and allowed no runs. Those five tie him with Ryan Dempster, R.A. Dickey, Gavin Floyd, Zack Greinke and Johan Santana for the second most in the Majors. Jered Weaver has seven such starts.