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Angels eye first 4-game sweep in Minnesota in 50 years

Sep 7, 2014 - 1:36 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have accomplished some impressive feats during their four-game series with the Minnesota Twins and have a chance at another on Sunday afternoon.

The Angels go for their first four-game sweep in Minnesota in over 50 years in Sunday's finale.

Los Angeles has won all six of its meetings with the Twins this season and will try to record its first four-game sweep of the club in Minnesota since July 17-19, 1964.

After Mike Trout became the youngest player in Angels history to drive in 100 runs in Friday's victory, Albert Pujols reached some milestones in last night's 8-5 triumph.

Pujols' go-ahead, two-run double in the top of the ninth inning gave him 2,500 career hits. He also homered in the game and reached 1,500 career runs.

Howie Kendrick had four hits and drove in three runs for the Angels, who lead Oakland by six games for first place in the division thanks to a victory in nine of their last 11 games.

They had to overcome a 5-3 deficit going into the eighth inning to win on Saturday.

"We've been down our share of games and been able to come back. One thing I think when our guys are swinging the bats well, which we've seen this series, it's going to give you a chance to grind it out if you stay close," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia.

Minnesota starter Phil Hughes was in line to become the AL's first 16-game winner when he left after seven innings, but reliever Casey Fien failed to protect a 5-3 lead. Fien gave up a Kendrick RBI triple off the center-field wall and an Erick Aybar sacrifice fly in the eighth inning.

The Angels jumped on Hughes, scoring a run in each of the first three innings. The right-hander, however, didn't allow a hit over his final four innings of work.

"Early in the game, it didn't look like he had his best stuff and he kind of work his way through it," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said about Hughes.

Minnesota has lost seven of its past nine but hopes to send Los Angeles starter C.J. Wilson to a second loss in a row today.

Wilson is just 10-9 with a 4.66 earned run average in 26 starts this year. He seemed to be turning a corner by going 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four starts between Aug. 12-28, but struggled in a loss at Houston on Tuesday.

The southpaw lasted just 3 1/3 innings, charged with five runs on eight hits and a walk.

"I was the only person that costs us the game today," Wilson said.

Wilson did beat Minnesota back on June 24 at home, but gave up six runs, nine hits and two homers over five innings of the 8-6 decision.

For the Twins, they'll give Logan Darnell a spot start today. He'll take the place of left-hander Tommy Milone, who is having a start skipped due to shoulder fatigue.

"We're going to see how the next few games go," Gardenhire told his team's website. "He just said he has a tired arm, a dead arm right now. The ball just isn't coming out of his hand. After talking with the trainers and [pitching coach] Rick [Anderson], he said he's had this before. So we're just going to back him off."

Darnell, a 25-year-old lefty, is 0-1 with an 8.25 ERA in three games this season, including two starts. His last appearance with the Twins came on Aug. 1 and he allowed four runs on five hits and four walks over four innings.