ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The game meant just one more win in the standings, but the result Wednesday night was worth much more than that to many in the Los Angeles Angels' clubhouse.

Albert Pujols' eighth-inning single drove home Kole Calhoun with the tiebreaking run, lifting the Angels to a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Angel Stadium.

The Angels avoided a sweep by the Dodgers in the three-game series, and now they can take a little confidence with them into a critical three-game series against the American League West-leading Houston Astros that starts Friday.

"I keep saying there's no tomorrow," said Pujols, whose RBI was his 83rd of the season. "That's how we need to look at it this whole month.

"I've been on teams where we've been in this situation before in September and we've come through winning the World Series (with the St. Louis Cardinals) that year. I think we have great veteran players here and great young players that listen a lot and do their homework. We have to go out there and have fun and do the best that we can."

Calhoun started the winning rally with a line drive into the right field corner, where the Dodgers' Andre Ethier booted the ball. The Angels right fielder was credited with a double, and he went to third on the error.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly summoned hard-throwing Pedro Baez to face center fielder Mike Trout, and the reliever struck out the reigning American League Most Valuable Player on a 99 mph fastball for the first out of the inning.

That brought up Pujols, prompting a visit to the mound my Mattingly and a discussion on whether or not to walk the designated hitter intentionally.

"We talked about how we were going to pitch Albert," Mattingly said. "We really didn't like the guy behind him (left fielder David Murphy) who could put it in play somewhere and we end up giving up a bunch of runs. So we wanted to try to go after Albert and go for the punch-out or get a ground ball."

They got the ground ball, but with the infield playing in, the ball went up the middle for a base hit.

The Angels (70-69) moved within 3 1/2 games of the Texas Rangers for the AL's second wild-card spot.

The Dodgers (80-59) saw their five-game winning streak end, but they remained 8 1/2 games up on the second-place San Francisco Giants, who also lost. The Dodgers' magic number to clinch the National League West was reduced to 15.

"Obviously, a loss is a loss, and we've been talking about each game as a day you have a chance to take a game off the schedule, and tonight we could have," Mattingly said.

Angels reliever Jose Alvarez (4-3) got the win over Dodgers reliever Luis Avilan (2-5). Angels closer Huston Street pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 33rd save.

Starter Garrett Richards and the Angels held a 2-1 lead when Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson led off the eighth inning with a double. Catcher Austin Barnes moved Pederson to third with a sacrifice bunt.

Richards got a big out when he struck out left fielder Scott Schebler for the second out of the inning, bringing up second baseman Chase Utley, who quickly fell behind in the count. On a 1-2 pitch, Utley sliced a breaking ball into the left field corner for an RBI double, tying the game at 2.

Richards let out a yell as Utley's hit fell, and moments later Angels manager Mike Scioscia removed the frustrated pitcher from the game.

"I probably hung it a little bit, more than usual," Richards said of the pitch to Utley. "He's a good hitter, his track record speaks for itself. What are you going to do? I was one pitch away from getting out of that jam."

Richards gave up two runs on four hits and three walks in 7 2/3 innings, striking out a career-high-tying 11 batters.

Dodgers starter Joe Wieland, filling in for injured right-hander Mat Latos, gave up two runs on four hits and one walk in four innings.

Schebler hit the first pitch of the game -- a 96 mph fastball by Richards -- over the fence in center field for a home run and 1-0 lead.

The Angels got even in the second inning on consecutive doubles by shortstop Erick Aybar and third baseman David Freese.

In the third inning, second baseman Taylor Featherston led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Calhoun to put the Angels in front 2-1. It was the Angels' first lead over the Dodgers in the series.

NOTES: Dodgers RHP Mat Latos originally was scheduled to start the game, but he was scratched because of a stiff neck. ... Angels RHP Joe Smith, one of the top relievers in the league last year as closer Huston Street's setup man, is struggling lately. He has given up 10 earned runs in his past eight appearances, covering 6 1/3 innings. ... Dodgers SS Jimmy Rollins missed his third game in a row with a sore finger on his right hand, but he is expected back in the starting lineup Friday. INF Corey Seager started in Rollins' place. ... Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of Dodgers LHP Sandy Koufax's perfect game against the Cubs on Sept. 9, 1965. ... With home runs in the first two games of the series, Angels RF Kole Calhoun became the only player this season to go deep off both Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke and LHP Clayton Kershaw.