MINNEAPOLIS -- Albert Pujols batting averages and home run totals arent as gaudy as they used to be. Hes still helping his team win games, though, and thats just fine with him. Pujols homered, hit a tie-breaking double in the ninth and reached a couple of career milestones to lead the Los Angeles Angels over Minnesota 8-5 on Saturday night for their third straight win over the Twins. The 34-year-old sluggers go-ahead double was his 2,500th hit, placing him 98th all-time and fifth among active players. He hit a solo homer in the third off Phil Hughes for a 3-2 lead, scoring his 1,500th run on his 25th home run this season. "It was just a great accomplishment, but at the same time its just something I dont get caught up in," Pujols said. "My job is to help our ball club to win and it was pretty special because I was able to do that tonight." After 10 stellar seasons in St. Louis, Pujols has yet to hit .300 for a season in three years with the Angels. And hes certainly not close to the 40-plus homerun pace he kept during some of his seasons with the Cardinals. But his .274 batting average is still among the teams best, and his 87 RBIs are second only to Mike Trouts 100. "You hear Mike Trout a lot, you hear Miguel Cabrera a lot, but hes quietly been doing it," Howie Kendrick said of Pujols. "Hes a big piece of our team, hes been driving in runs for us. And thats going to be something that were going to need down the stretch, is his experience." With the score 5-all in the ninth and two on, Pujols doubled to deep left off Jared Burton (2-5) and scored on Kendricks single against Anthony Swarzak. "Albert got one up and did what hes done 1,000 times in this game and he got a big hit for them," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. Joe Smith (7-2) pitched a one-hit eighth and Huston Street finished for his 37th save in 40 chances. After one-out singles by Aaron Hicks and Chris Parmalee, Brian Dozier grounded into a game-ending 3-6-1 double play. Gardenhire challenged the call by first base umpire John Tumpane, and after a delay of about 1 minute, 20 seconds, the call was upheld. Eduardo Escobar and Chris Parmelee homered for Minnesota, which led 5-3 after seven innings. The Angeles tied the score in the eighth against Casey Fien when Pujols singled, Kendrick tripled and Erick Aybar hit a sacrifice fly. Hughes allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, walked none and struck out eight. With 165 strikeouts, he tied his career best with the New York Yankees in 2012. "Its always tough," Hughes said. "Look for those three facets of the game every time out: good start, bullpen to step up and score a few runs. Unfortunately for us the last few games here, one or two of those things hasnt been there." TRAINERS ROOM: Angels: LF Josh Hamilton missed his second straight game with a sore shoulder. Hamilton had been expected to return to the lineup, but manager Mike Scioscia said before the game that he was day to day. Scioscia said Hamilton was "feeling better" and LHP Joe Thatcher (ankle) was slated to pitch Saturday for Double-A Arkansas. Twins: CF Danny Santana left the game with a lower-back injury sustained while trying to throw out David Freese at home in the second. The team said hes day to day. All-Star closer Glen Perkins also is day to day with neck soreness that started bothering him Thursday night. An MRI Saturday revealed no structural damage or pinched nerves. ... OF Jordan Schafer was out of the lineup a night after bruising ribs during a crash into the outfield wall. Assistant GM Rob Antony said Schafer was available to pinch run, if needed. QUOTE OF THE NIGHT: Scioscia on Pujols latest career milestones: "It seems like every couple of weeks youre going to run into a milestone that Alberts either passing somebody or doing something. Its good to see his bat come alive. Hes been there every day for us, hes playing a lot and just a huge hit tonight." UP NEXT: Los Angeles will try to complete the four-game series sweep when it starts LHP C.J. Wilson (10-9) on Sunday, who is 4-0 against the Twins since 2011. LHP Logan Darnell (0-1) will start for Minnesota, which will try to snap an 0-for-6 skid against the Angels this season. Fake Shoes Black Friday . The Laval Rouge et Or defensive back/kick-returner gained the invitation following his showing Sunday at an NFL regional combine in Baltimore. Cheap Shoes Black Friday . Durant had 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, hit the tying 3-pointer late in regulation and made the go-ahead foul shots in overtime to lift the Thunder past the Wizards 106-105. John Wall missed a driving layup attempt at the buzzer for Washington, which was seeking its third straight win. https://www.cheapshoesblackfriday.com/. The Red Sox maintained a share of the AL wild-card lead Tuesday night, using four home runs to beat the Baltimore Orioles 8-7 and set up a dramatic conclusion to the regular season. The skidding Red Sox were 6-19 this month before rebounding to edge the last-place Orioles. China Shoes Black Friday .C. -- When Michael Jordan speaks, people still listen. Wholesale Shoes Black Friday . - Jason Day and Cameron Tringale shot an 8-under 64 on Friday in modified alternate-shot play to increase their lead to three strokes in the Franklin Templeton Shootout. DENVER -- John Lackey was originally going to throw an inning simply to stay sharp. That plan was changed to a full-fledged start, to keep in rhythm. Only, this wasnt exactly the outing he was looking for with the post-season drawing near. Lackey allowed three solo homers, including one to Charlie Blackmon, the first batter he faced, as the Boston Red Sox fell to the Colorado Rockies 8-3 on Tuesday night. "Not our best night from the mound," manager John Farrell said. "I thought John made a couple of mistakes that he had to pay for, particularly in a ball park where you put the ball in the air and its going to carry." Even more, Lackey (10-13) struggled on the road again, allowing four runs and six hits in six innings. The right-hander is 1-5 away from Fenway Park since the All-Star break. Lackey also surrendered solo homers to Troy Tulowitzki and Corey Dickerson. Not that hes too concerned with this performance. "Im good to go," Lackey said. "Feel good." Tyler Chatwood (8-5) shut down a potent Red Sox lineup as he gave up one unearned run and three hits before being pulled for a pinch hitter with a 4-1 lead in the seventh. The Rockies went on to score four times that inning to seal the win, with DJ LeMahieu and Michael Cuddyer delivering two-run singles. Cuddyer finished the night 2 for 4 with a double to raise his average to an NL-best .335. For the Rockies, this was a confidence-inducing victory. "For sure. Boston is a great team, going into the playoffs," Dickerson said. "You want to play well, show our resilience as a team and to play hard to the last game." With the AL East title wrapped up, the Red Sox are now focused on securing the best record in the league. They maintain a one-game lead over Oakland after the Athletics lost 3-0 to the Los Angeles Angels. Farrell is using these last few games as a way figure out his final post-season roster spots. Farrell said there are a couple still up for grabs. David Ortiz played first base instead of Mike Napoli without the use of a designated hitter. Ortiz showed off his glove, too, snaring a scorching liner from Dickerson to end the sixth. Chatwood pitched carefully to the dangerous Ortiz, even intentionally walkking him in first with a runner on second.dddddddddddd The ploy worked as Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounded out. Later, Ortiz hit a fly to the deepest part of the park, but Blackmon tracked it down. The only mistake Chatwood made wasnt on the mound but covering first base in the seventh. With two outs and Will Middlebrooks on second, Todd Helton made a diving stop on Jackie Bradley Jr.s grounder and quickly flipped it to Chatwood, who dropped the ball before stepping on the base. Chatwood scooped it up and threw wide to home plate and into the Red Sox dugout, allowing Middlebrooks to score. Chatwood was charged with two errors on the play and Bradley advanced to third. But Chatwood escaped more damage when his wild pitch bounced off the wall behind home plate, allowing catcher Jordan Pacheco to quickly field the ball and flick it to Chatwood, who tagged out Bradley, keeping the score 4-1. "That lineup is really tough," Chatwood said. "Youve got to execute every pitch." Blackmon, the reigning NL player of the week, began the game with a homer to right on a fastball from Lackey. Cuddyer soon followed with a double and scored on Heltons single. Helton clapped his hands after his hit as the crowd roared. The first baseman will retire at the end of the season after 17 years with the Rockies. Before the game, Helton said he didnt "do nostalgia" and didnt want to reflect back on his career just yet. He holds virtually every hitting category in Rockies history and will play his final home game Wednesday night. Helton nearly was a member of the Red Sox had a rumoured trade before the 2007 season taken place. That was the season the Red Sox went on to sweep the Rockies to capture the World Series title. Asked how close he was to being in a Boston uniform, Helton said: "I have no idea. You have to talk to the people that were making the decisions." NOTES: Saltalamacchia hit a two-run homer in the ninth after Ortiz singled. ... Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury (right foot) may return to the lineup as soon as Wednesday. ... Rockies owner Dick Monfort is pleased with the performance of first-year manager Walt Weiss and hopes he returns. Monfort said the sides have yet to talk about a new deal. ' ' '