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Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Albert Pujols and Cody Bellinger each smacked two-run homers to help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Los Angeles Angels in the final matchup of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler allowed four hits and one run over six innings in the 8-2 victory Sunday in Los Angeles. Buehler pushed his record to 12-2 and now owns an MLB-best winning percentage of .857 in 2021.
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"I think we are right where we want to be," Pujols told reporters. "We know we haven't been playing the best baseball that we know how to play.
"I know we have a great group of guys and a great team."
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single to center field in the bottom of the first. Third baseman Justin Turner reached two at-bats later on a fielder's choice, which allowed Muncy to score.
Dodgers left fielder A.J. Pollock plated another run with an RBI single to left field in the bottom of the second. Pujols then stepped in to face Angels starter Reid Detmers.
The left-handed pitcher fell behind in the count and issued a 3-0 fastball to the veteran slugger. Pujols pounced on the pitch and sent it to left field for a 418-foot homer.
Infielder Phil Gosselin brought in the Angels' first run with an RBI double in the top of the third. Pollock answered with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth.
Dodgers center fielder Chris Taylor singled to lead off the bottom of the seventh. Catcher Will Smith popped out in the next at-bat, which brought Bellinger to the plate. The Dodgers outfielder fouled off the first offering from Angels relief pitcher Mike Mayers.
Bellinger then ripped an 0-1 Mayers fastball to right field for a 393-foot, two-run blast. Bellinger's homer traveled 104.2-mph off his bat and carried just 60 feet above the field as it carried over the wall, according to Statcast.
Angels left fielder Joe Adell plated the game's final run with an RBI double in the top of the eighth.
Pollock went 3 for 5 with a run scored in the win. Taylor also recorded two hits for the Dodgers. Gosselin went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run scored in the loss.
Detmers allowed seven hits and five runs in five innings to drop to 0-2 this season.
Pujols, 41, owns a .310 average with nine homers and 32 RBIs since he joined the Dodgers as a free agent in May. He signed with the Dodgers days after he was released by the Angels.
The Dodgers (67-45) face the Philadelphia Phillies at 7:05 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The Angels (56-56) battle the Toronto Blue Jays at 6:07 p.m. EDT Tuesday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif.
