WASHINGTON -- Heading toward the plate after the 500th homer of this career, Albert Pujols glanced ahead and saw a throng of Lo

WASHINGTON -- Heading toward the plate after the 500th homer of this career, Albert Pujols glanced ahead and saw a throng of Los Angeles Angels teammates waiting right there to greet him. Zarley Zalapski Jersey . He was pleased by the outpouring of support. He also had a message. "I was pretty emotional running the bases and when I ... looked at all these guys coming out, it was hard," Pujols said. "But I just told them, Weve got a game to win." Not a problem, especially with Pujols hitting like the Pujols of old. Continuing a strong stretch, the Angels first baseman became the first major leaguer to hit his 499th and 500th homers in the same game, driving in five runs Tuesday night to help Los Angeles beat the Washington Nationals 7-2. "I knew this year, it was going to happen, whether it was tonight, tomorrow, two months from now," Pujols said. "So my goal was just to prepare myself every day to try to help this organization win." The three-time NL MVP connected twice off right-hander Taylor Jordan (0-3) -- a three-run homer in the first inning and two-run drive in the fifth. Hes the 26th player in big league history to reach the milestone. Pujols also hit his 400th homer at Nationals Park. "I admire the man. I admire his ability and the way he goes about playing the game, and I have for some time," said Washington manager Matt Williams, who also played against Pujols. "I just wish hed do it against somebody else." Pujols is the first player to collect his 499th and 500th homers in the same game, according to STATS. About three months past his 34th birthday, hes also the third-youngest to get to 500; Alex Rodriguez and Jimmie Foxx were 32. Making a recent surge, Pujols has eight homers in the past 13 games. He leads the Angels with 19 RBIs. "Thats the Albert Im used to seeing," Angels outfielder Mike Trout said. "Full, healthy, 100 per cent healthy." The 500th homer went to left-centre field at Nationals Park, on an 89 mph pitch with the count at 1-2. The ball was grabbed -- and later given to Pujols -- by a man who identified himself as Thomas Sherrill, a 29-year-old Air Force staff sergeant from Pomona, Calif. "That pitch was supposed to be low and away," Jordan said, "and I guess I tried too hard to get it there." Pujols clapped his hands together a few strides before trotting home, then pointed both index fingers to the sky. Fans gave Pujols a partial standing ovation, and he acknowledged it by tipping his red batting helmet as he approached the dugout. After heading down the steps, he came back out for a curtain call. "Thats something you tell your kids when you get older. I dont know the next guy whos going to hit 500," said Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs (2-0), who gave up two runs in seven innings. "Nobody knows how to react. You dont see it too much." Teammates said that Pujols told shortstop Erick Aybar before the game he was going to hit two homers. "Alberts Albert. If he tells you something, hes going to do it," Trout said. "Im not surprised he said that, because Ive seen it before. Hes told me, Im going deep tonight." Jordan allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings. Washington entered the game with a majors-worst 22 errors and third baseman Anthony Rendon added two more. After a couple of down-for-him years with the Angels following 11 transcendent seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols appears ready to reclaim his spot among the games elite hitters. He homered Friday and Saturday at Detroit to lift his total to 498, and now hes reached the round number of 500 -- a total that remains hallowed despite losing lustre lately because so many players surpassed it. Of the 26 members of the 500-homer club, 11 reached the mark in the last 15 years, according to STATS. Gary Sheffield was the previous player to do it, hitting No. 500 in April 2009. "You dont see 500, obviously, every night," Pujols said. "Its been a great career." The Cardinals selected him in the 13th round of the 1999 draft, with the 402nd overall selection -- a steal if ever there was one. Pujols won a batting title in 2003, National League MVP awards in 2005, 2008 and 2009, and World Series titles with the Cardinals in 2006 and 2011. Pujols was the first player to hit 30 homers in each of his first 12 seasons and the second -- after Al Simmons in 1924-34 -- to reach 100 RBIs in each of his first 10. A nine-time All-Star, Pujols hit 455 homers with the Cardinals. After his decade-plus of excellence in St. Louis, Pujols signed a 10-year deal worth $240 million with the Angels following the 2011 season. Almost immediately, the 6-foot-3 slugger appeared to be slowing down. He hit .285 with 30 homers in 2012 -- impressive numbers for most players, but career lows at that point for Pujols. Things got even worse in 2013. Injuries limited Pujols to 99 games, and he was sidelined from July 26 on. He ended up hitting .258 with 17 homers and 64 RBIs. But not surprisingly, Pujols bat did not stay quiet for long. Sitting at a news conference with the balls he hit over the fence Tuesday resting near his left elbow, Pujols smiled as he said: "Now weve got to start on the next milestone, I guess." NOTES: Washington RHP Doug Fister threw 44 pitches in three innings at extended spring training in Florida on Tuesday. ... Angels manager Mike Scioscia on Pujols defence this season: "Hes played first base at the Gold Glove-caliber that you would expect. Well have to monitor it; if he needs a day to refresh, well give it to him." Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . TSN Hockey Insiders Pierre LeBrun and Bob McKenzie both reported Thursday that there have been ongoing trade discussions between the Oilers and Los Angeles Kings over forward Sam Gagner. Ed Olczyk Jersey . According to a release sent by the league, the Saskatchewan Roughriders were the only team to exceed the cap. Their total salary expenditure of $4,417,975 was $17,975 over the salary cap of $4. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/981q-jean-sebastien-aubin-jersey-penguins.html . -- Green Bay wide receiver Greg Jennings will be on the sideline as the Packers make their push for a perfect regular season.The Minnesota Timberwolves will try to halt a 15-game losing streak Tuesday night when they start a four-game road trip at Bankers Life Fieldhouse against the Indiana Pacers. The T-wolves havent won since Dec. 10 at home against the Portland Trail Blazers. Their last road victory came on Nov. 28 versus the Los Angeles Lakers, a span of 10 games. You can catch all the action tonight on TSN2 starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. On Saturday, the streak reached 15 with a 108-93 home loss to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Zach LaVine paced Minnesota with 19 points off the bench, while Andrew Wiggins and Gorgui Dieng finished with 18 apiece. Wiggins has scored in double figures in 10 straight. Mo Williams was the only other Timberwolves player in double figures with 10. The Wolves made all 26 of their free throws to set a franchise record for most makes without a miss from the line. They shot less than 40 percent from the field and 20 percent from long range. Minnesota lost the rebounding battle, 45-42, and the Spurs committed less turnovers. They were just a better team, Dieng said of the Spurs. The Timberwolves will vvisit the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets and Charlotte Hornets in this bizarre trip, at least geographically speaking. Gene Ubriaco Jersey. The Pacers have dropped two of three, but have won two straight at home. On Saturday, Indiana fell to the Philadelphia 76ers, 93-92, in South Philly. David West missed a contested fadeaway jumper from the top of the key just before the buzzer to seal the Sixers fifth win in their last 11 games. West netted a season-high 28 points with nine rebounds for the Pacers, who have alternated wins and losses over their last six. We lost a game we should have won in Philadelphia, but (we were) 3-2 before that in a tough stretch of our schedule, battling injuries. I like the way were playing, head coach Frank Vogel said. Rodney Stuckey scored 13 in the loss, followed by 12 out of Solomon Hill and 10 from C.J.Watson. C.J. Miles suffered an eye injury and played less than four minutes, but he should be fine for Tuesdays tilt. The Pacers beat the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Dec. 21 and have taken three of the last four in the series. Indiana is 5-0 in its last five, hosting the T-wolves. ' ' '