Angels 8, Twins 5: Albert Pujols lined a tiebreaking two-run double in the top of the ninth to cap a three-hit, three-RBI performance as Los Angeles defeated host Minnesota for the third straight night.

Howie Kendrick had four hits and three RBIs as the Angels won for the ninth time in 11 games. After Pujols lined the decisive hit off Jared Burton (2-5), Kendrick singled home Pujols to make it a three-run margin.

Joe Smith (7-2) pitched a scoreless eighth and Huston Street worked out of a jam in the ninth to record his 37th save. The Angels trailed by two runs entering the eighth before rallying to keep their American League West lead at six games over the Oakland Athletics.

Minnesota took a 5-3 lead on a two-run single by Aaron Hicks in the fourth. But Twins reliever Casey Fien gave up the lead in the eighth as Pujols singled and scored on Kendrick’s triple before Erick Aybar drove in Kendrick on a sacrifice fly to right.

Kendrick had an RBI double in the first and C.J. Cron singled in a run in the second before Minnesota’s Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. Pujols slugged a one-out blast to left in the third before the Twins tied the game in the bottom of the inning on Chris Parmelee’s homer to right.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Pujols’ game-winning double was the 2,500th hit of his career. … Minnesota starter Phil Hughes allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings, while Cory Rasmus gave up two runs, two hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings for the Angels. … Twins CF Danny Santana left the contest after two innings with a strained back while LHP Glen Perkins (neck) will miss the rest of the series.