NEW YORK—Starter Phil Hughes‘ 2012 season home debut ended disastrously Saturday, as the Los Angeles Angels pounded the right-hander to the tune of six runs on eight hits in 3.1 innings.

Los Angeles, behind its three-homer assault, would win comfortably by the score of 7-1, making Sunday night’s series finale a rubber match.

Hughes (L, 0-2) was as bad as Angels left-hander C.J. Wilson (W, 2-0) (6.0 IP, 6H, 1R) was good, exiting to a chorus of boos after Howie Kendrick crushed a three-run home run to left with one out in the fourth. Before Kendrick’s blast sent Hughes to the showers, the Halos jumped ahead 3-0 on Chris Iannetta‘s second-inning, two-run homer and Albert Pujols‘ run-scoring double in the third.

Hughes, who in his season debut allowed two runs, five hits and two walks to the Tampa Bay Rays in a 3-0 loss, threw a total of 84 pitches (52 strikes) in Saturday’s abbreviated outing.

Vernon Wells added a solo homer for the Angels off Hughes’ replacement, David Phelps, in the top half of the fifth inning. Wells, whose long ball gave Los Angeles a 7-0 cushion, now has 250 career homers.