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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Albert Pujols almost had consecutive triples after going more than four years without one. Instead, he ended up with a chance to complete the first cycle of his career. The Los Angeles slugger tried a little too hard in both cases and missed out. It didnt keep the Angels from adding to their big lead in the AL West. Pujols tripled to open the scoring and finished a home run shy of the cycle, rookie Matt Shoemaker had another strong start, and the Angels beat the Texas Rangers 8-1 on Wednesday night. "It would have been pretty cool," Pujols said. "Its not easy. Thats why you dont see it every day. Obviously, everybody says the hardest part is to get that triple, which I believe it is." The AL West-leading Angels (90-55), who are nine games up on Oakland after the As lost at the Chicago White Sox, were the first team in the majors to 90 wins with their season-high seventh straight victory. Shoemaker (15-4) set a franchise rookie record for victories by winning his sixth straight decision. Texas right-hander Nick Tepesch (4-10) has just one win in 12 starts. Pujols first-inning triple made Mike Trout the sixth player in major league history to score 100 runs in three seasons before turning 23. It was the first triple for Pujols since July 10, 2010, when he played for St. Louis. In the third, Pujols fly ball eluded a leaping Michael Choice and caromed off the right-field wall. Choice ran the ball down and threw to Elvis Andrus, who tagged Pujols trying to scramble back to second. Pujols, who playfully tugged at Andrus cap as he jogged back to the dugout, had a single in the fifth. The Rangers intentionally walked Trout to load the bases for Pujols in the sixth, but he grounded into an inning-ending double play. Pujols reached on a throwing error by Andrus and scored in the eighth, and then admittedly was swinging for the fences when he grounded out to Andrus in the ninth. "I think everybody was aware," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "In the big picture, I dont think its one that he needs on his shelf, but it would have been nice to see." Shoemaker, who broke a rookie wins record tied most recently by Frank Tanana in 1974, came close to pitching at least seven shutout innings for the fourth time in five starts. He came out after giving up Ryan Ruas RBI single with two outs in the seventh. "I think Shoe is one of the big reasons why were even contending," Scioscia said. "When he got his chance to get in the rotation, to do what he did is spectacular for us." SELECT 100 CLUB Trout reached base three times and scored twice to push his season total to 101 runs. The other five players to score 100 runs in three seasons before turning 23 were Mel Ott, Buddy Lewis, Ted Williams, Vada Pinson and Alex Rodriguez. REVOLVING DOOR Interim Texas manager Tim Bogar has used at least five pitchers in four of his five games since replacing Ron Washington. He made three pitching changes in a seven-run eighth inning for the Angels on Tuesday. He used six pitchers for the first time Wednesday, and the Angels scored five runs in the last three innings. TRAINERS ROOM Angels: Josh Hamilton missed his sixth consecutive game with a sore right shoulder. He took two more injections Tuesday and woke up sore Wednesday. He hopes the injections will lead to dramatic improvement in the next couple of days, but there is no timetable for his return. Rangers: C Robinson Chirinos could be back behind the plate Thursday night after missing nine games with neck stiffness. ... Bogar says it is likely OF Jake Smolinski (broken left foot) will play again this season. He has been on the disabled list since July 25. UP NEXT Angels: RHP Cory Rasmus (3-1, 2.81) will make his third straight start after 24 relief appearances to start the season. He threw three scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over Oakland on Aug. 30 before giving up two runs in 1 2-3 innings in an 8-5 win over Minnesota last week. Rangers: Rookie RHP Nick Martinez (3-10, 5.03) is looking for his first win at home after nine previous appearances, including seven starts. He has a 6.81 ERA at home. He has allowed six hits in five straight starts, the second Texas pitcher to do that (Charlie Hough in 1982). cheap china jerseys .com) - Hassan Whiteside scored 20 points with nine rebounds in the Miami Heats 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. wholesale jerseys china .com) - SirDominic Pointer posted career highs of 24 points and seven steals to lead No. https://www.chinajerseysreplica.us/ . Or, for that matter, the aged. fake jerseys china . Assistant coach Glen Gulutzan said Thursday that Edler, who played Tuesday in Nashville, is out indefinitely. china jerseys . Trailing 4-1 in the final set, Sharapova steadied her erratic service game and took command again to beat the 56th-ranked American 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 on clay at the Magic Box tennis centre. The ninth-ranked Russian looked to be cruising before McHale broke late in the second set to tie the match and then took her commanding lead in the final set after breaking Sharapova.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Dallas Stars look to win a season-high fourth consecutive game on Sunday evening as they visit the reeling Edmonton Oilers. The Stars took two of three at home before embarking on a three-game swing, capping the homestand with a victory over New Jersey prior to road wins over Vancouver and Calgary. That gave Dallas its first three-game win streak since Nov. 20-25, a run that included a win over Edmonton. Kari Lehtonen has reached excellent form on this road trip, posting a 27-save shutout to beat the Canucks before turning aside 21 of the 22 shots he faced in Fridays 2-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Lehtonen has won four of his past five starts, giving up a goal or fewer in three of those games. I felt good, and the guys played very well in front of me, Lehtonen told his teams website after the win over the Flames. The first period maybe wasnt our best, but after that it was really solid. We didnt give them too much. Jamie Benn and Trevor Daley scored second-period goals on Friday, with Cody Eakin assisting on each tally. Tyler Seguin added an assist for his 39th point of the campaign, tied for second most in the NHL. Seguin also tops the league with 23 goals. Defenseman Jordie Benn missed the game with flu-like symptoms, while forward Ryan Garbutt is eligible to return tonight from a three-game suspension he received for slew-footing Winnipegs Dustin Byfuglien in a loss on Dec.dddddddddddd 9. Lehtonen, meanwhile, may have earned another start tonight and is 12-3-1 lifetime versus the Oilers with a 2.05 goals against average and .932 save percentage. The Stars netminder made 35 saves in a 3-2 home win over the Oilers on Nov. 25, the first of three meetings between the clubs this season. Seguin scored twice in Dallas 14th victory in its past 17 versus Edmonton. The Stars also have won five in a row in Edmonton. Boyd Gordon and Taylor Hall scored in defeat, while Viktor Fasth made 30 saves in the loss. Fasth is 2-2-0 with a 1.94 GAA and .926 save percentage in five career meetings versus Dallas, including four starts, with a shutout. Fellow Oilers goaltender Ben Scrivens allowed three goals on 32 shots in a loss the only time he faced the Stars. Scrivens came up with 26 saves in a 4-3 loss to San Jose on Thursday, with the Sharks going ahead in the third period thanks to a pair of goals only 34 seconds apart. Weve struggled to win games all season and tonight is a prime example of that, said Gordon, who returned after missing five in a row with a back injury. We have to find a way to hold on. Gordon, Steven Pinizzotto and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers, who have lost six straight and 17 of their last 18. Sunday will make Edmontons third game since firing Dallas Eakins as head coach and replacing him on an interim basis with Todd Nelson. ' ' '