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. 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." Antonio Brown Raiders Jersey . He also had some help Monday night.Hibbert scored a season-high 29 points to help Indiana beat the Utah Jazz 97-86 Monday night, ending the Pacers six-game losing streak. Foster Moreau Womens Jersey .com) - Roosevelt Jones had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead No. https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Women...nverted-Jersey/. -- Kael Mouillierat scored three times and set up one more as the St. Fred Biletnikoff Raiders Jersey . The Islanders own the fifth pick in the 2014 draft but had until June 1 to decide whether to keep it or defer to 2015. The selection was packaged in the teams deal for Thomas Vanek on October 27, 2013. Johnathan Abram Jersey .ca MLB Power Rankings, the third consecutive week that the As have held top spot and the third straight week that they have been one ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays.EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers have taken another step in locking up their young core by signing Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to a seven-year contract. Nugent-Hopkins got US$42 million, the same amount the Oilers gave Taylor Hall on his seven-year deal. The $6-million cap hit is also the same as Jordan Eberles, making for uniformity among Edmontons top young forwards. "We felt when we did the contracts with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, that at that point we knew wed be doing a very similar, if not identical, contract to what we did with those players," Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish told reporters. "This is just a reflection of how highly we hold Ryan within our organization." Nugent-Hopkins underwent surgery on his left shoulder April 23 to repair a torn labrum. Hes currently skating but has been non-commital about being ready in time for the start of the NHL season. But that doesnt concern MacTavish. "During the term of this contract I feel very strongly hes going to outperform the number on the contract," he said. "I dont know when thats going to happen but I anticipate it will happen pretty soon during the length of this contract." Predictably, Nugent-Hopkins is very pleased to have the deal done. His extension starts in the 2014-15 season. "I definitely want to come back and play my best whenever I am ready to play," he said. "Im just happy to be here, to be locked up for the next so many years. "Its going to be great." Nugent-Hopkins downplayed the significance of his cap hit being the same as Halls and Eberles. "I dont think any of us really worried about it too much," he said. "Once you get on the ice you kind of forget about all that stuff and you just want to go out there and play and perform the best for the team. "Obviously having all three of us the same is not going to cause any problems even though it wouldnt anyway. Its definitely exciting for all of us." But Nugent-Hopkins said his first goal is to get to the point physically where he can play. "Obviously my first priority is getting healthy and making sure that Im ready to play," he said. "Getting the contract done now is definitely a positivee thing.dddddddddddd "Its something I dont have to worry about and something thats not on my mind, not even a little bit. I just want to get back healthy and get back to playing." MacTavish said he never approached Hall and/or Eberle during his contract talks with Nugent-Hopkins. Nugent-Hopkins, the first pick in the 2011 draft, has 22 goals and 54 assists in 102 career NHL games. He had four goals and 20 points in 40 games last season. "I thought last year I definitely didnt put up the points that I wanted to," he said. "I thought I made some steps in my defensive zones. "I want to put everything together this year and make sure I have a great year." MacTavish said the organization has no concerns about Nugent-Hopkins shoulder. "No, zero," he said. "Weve had lots of success with that procedure in the past. "His surgery is solid and theres a good history to lead us to believe and have every confidence that there wont be a problem going forward." The Oilers have just over $41 million of salary-cap commitments to 10 players for next season. That does not include a new deal for defenceman Justin Schultz. But Edmontons priority during its youth movement has been cultivating young forwards. Nugent-Hopkins was the second of three straight No. 1 picks, sandwiched between Hall in 2010 and Nail Yakupov in 2012. Yakupov has two seasons left on his entry-level contract. In addition to Nugent-Hopkins, Hall and Eberle, the Oilers signed centre Sam Gagner to a $14.4-million, three-year contract during the off-season. And they acquired winger David Perron in a trade with the St. Louis Blues to provide some more experience. MacTavish said Nugent-Hopkins extension contains a no-trade clause -- sort of. "Ive asked Ryan to never ask for a trade through the term of this contract," he said. "Thats our no-trade. "He has promised me that he wont ask for one, thats important for us. I dont anticipate anything happening, obviously. Its our objective as an organization to make this experience so rewarding for everybody that they wouldnt want to leave, much like it was many years ago where Edmonton really was where everybody wanted to play." ' ' '