Spring training: Angels 9, San Francisco Giants 5

Highlights from the Angels’ 9-5 exhibition victory over a San Franscisco Giants split squad in Tempe, Ariz.

AT THE PLATE: Albert Pujols lined a two-run home run to left field, his first this spring, against Jake Peavy in the first inning and just missed a three-run home run in the fifth, hitting a 410-foot drive to the warning track in center field for an out. Johnny Giavotella had two hits, Yunel Escobar singled, walked and scored two runs, Andrelton Simmons doubled and scored on Carlos Perez’s sacrifice fly in the second inning, and Mike Trout lined a run-scoring single to left field in the fifth. Reserve outfield candidate Todd Cunningham’s two-run single in the sixth capped a three-run rally that gave the Angels a 7-5 lead. Cunningham also doubled and scored on Gregorio Petit’s single in the eighth. Ji-Man Choi had two hits, including a run-scoring single in the seventh.

ON THE MOUND: Hector Santiago was scheduled to throw four innings, but his high pitch count (66) limited to him 2 2/3 innings in which he gave up three runs — one earned — and four hits, struck out four and walked two. But the left-hander was pleased with the development of his slider, a pitch he is trying to use more this season, and his overall stuff and command. “Today was a positive day,” Santiago said. “It may not look like it, but pitch-wise, I felt great, I located on both sides of the zone, kept the ball down, got a couple swings and misses with my changeup and slider, threw first-pitch curves for strikes … everything was where it needed to be.” Mike Morin struck out two batters in a scoreless sixth inning, and Al Alburquerque struck out three in a scoreless seventh. Joe Smith gave up a long two-run home run to Mac Williamson in the fifth.

EXTRA BASES: Escobar, the Angels third baseman, booted Trevor Brown’s hard grounder in the second inning for an error that allowed two runs to score. … Manager Mike Scioscia said Choi, a first baseman-outfielder who is competing for a bench job, has scrapped plans to switch-hit and will bat exclusively from the left side. “He hit right-handed last year as an experiment, but we feel he’s much more confident, and his swing is much more advanced, from the left side,” Scioscia said.

UP NEXT: Rangers on Sunday, 1 p.m. PDT at Tempe Diablo Stadium. TV: FS West; Radio: 830.