Rays survive 9th inning Angels’ rally, win 6-5
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Yandy Diaz hit an RBI single during Tampa Bay’s two-run eighth inning, and the Rays held off Los Angeles‘ late rally to beat the Angels 6-5 Sunday.
Mike Trout hit a two-run homer off Diego Castillo in the ninth to make it a one-run game. After Shohei Ohtani singled and went to second on Albert Pujols‘ grounder, Castillo completed his seventh save by striking Kole Calhoun.
The Rays started the day a half-game behind the New York Yankees in the AL East with a three-game series between the teams starting Monday night. The clubs are scheduled to play each other 11 times over the next 33 days.
Tommy Pham put the Rays ahead 4-3 with a solo shot against Griffin Canning (2-3) in the fifth. The lead grew to 6-3 in the eighth when Diaz got his run-scoring hit and another run scored on wild pitch.
David Fletcher had two RBIs for the Angels (35-37), who haven’t been at .500 since April 15.
The Rays used opener Ryne Stanek and five other relievers to complete a 3-4 homestand.
After Brandon Lowe hit a solo homer in the first, Kevin Kiermaier played a pivotal role during a two-run second that put the Rays up 3-1.
Kiermaier drove in a run with a triple and beat Pujols’ throw to the plate after the first baseman caught Avisail Garcia’s foul ball near the bullpen.
Canning allowed four runs, six hits and struck out seven in six innings. He joined Masahiro Tanaka, Herb Score and Orlando Hernandez as the only American League pitchers to have five-or-more strikeouts in at least nine starts to begin their career.
Los Angeles loaded the bases with no outs in the first but scored just once Pujols’ sacrifice fly.
Fletcher had a bases-loaded sacrifice fly with one out in third and a fifth-inning RBI single to tie it at 3-all.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Manager Brad Ausmus expects OF Justin Upton, who hasn’t played this season due to left foot turf toe, to be back Monday. … 2B Tommy La Stella started after missing two games with left forearm tightness. … INF Andrelton Simmons (sprained left ankle) will face live pitching in the next couple days and could be back late this week. … RHP Trevor Cahill (right elbow inflammation) threw 20 pitches in his bullpen session and will do it again Tuesday.
Rays: INF Matt Duffy (strained left hamstring) ran the bases and worked out at both third base and shortstop.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Felix Pena (4-1) will follow an opener Monday night at Toronto. The Blue Jays will start RHP Edwin Jackson (1-4).
Rays: RHP Yonny Chirinos (7-2) is expected to start or follow an opener against Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (4-5) Monday night. Due to a taxed bullpen, Chirinos has started each of his last four appearances.
