NEW YORK _ Jesse Chavez hit before he pitched.
That tells you what kind of start it was for the Angels, who sent nine hitters to the plate and scored five runs in the top of the first inning. They had a nine-run lead by the third, before coasting to a 12-5 victory over the New York Mets on Sunday.
Playing for a third consecutive day without Albert Pujols, who is nursing a sore hamstring, the Angels avoided a sweep by winning the series finale.
Although Pujols' absence seemed to create a hole in the middle of the order in the first two games, the Angels didn't seem to miss him on Sunday. They hit a season-high four homers, including the "homer cycle." They hit one of each kind of homer, from a solo up to a grand slam.
C.J. Cron's grand slam in the first inning, his first homer of the season, was the game's defining blast. Mike Trout homered in the second inning, immediately followed by a Jefry Marte homer that made it 8-0 before they had made their fifth out.
Trout nearly hit two homers, but instead knocked a line drive off the top of the fence in center field, settling for a double. In his two other trips, the Mets walked him.
Every Angels starting position player had reached safely _ by the second inning.
After Trout's double knocked in Cameron Maybin in the third, the Angels had a 9-0 lead, their biggest lead at any point this season.
Chavez then did what a pitcher is supposed to do with a big lead ... to a point.
He cruised through the Mets' lineup for five innings. He gave up a couple solo homers, but he didn't walk anyone.
In the sixth, though, Chavez made things a little too interesting. Starting his third time through the Mets' order, Chavez gave up a double, a single and a three-run homer to Jay Bruce, cutting the lead to 9-5.
Just when it seemed the Angels might have to sweat a bit, Andrelton Simmons restored the comfortable lead with a three-run homer in the seventh, pushing the lead to seven.
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