Angels vs Rays Recap: Rays Top Angels 5-2

The Los Angeles Angels came to Tropicana Field hoping to bounce back. They'd demolished Tampa Bay 14-3 the night before, but that feeling didn't last. The Rays were ready to fight. Shane McClanahan took the mound for Tampa Bay, looking sharp from pitch one. In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Aranda stepped up and didn't waste time. He connected on a 98-mile-per-hour fastball and sent it rocketing to right field—409 feet gone. The crowd erupted. One swing, and the Rays led 1-0. But the Angels answered right back in the second inning. A wild pitch from McClanahan got away, and Jose Siri raced home to tie the game at 1-1. The momentum kept shifting. Los Angeles was still in this fight early.

By the third inning, Tampa Bay's bats were waking up. Victor Mesa Jr. singled to center, and when he did, Jonathan Aranda came racing home. The Rays were up 2-1. But they weren't done yet. Cedric Mullins stepped into the box and drew a walk, and that's when the real damage happened. Richie Palacios, who'd been on third, sprinted home. Now it was 3-1, Rays. Los Angeles struggled to answer. Their pitchers couldn't find the zone. Jack Kochanowicz threw four walks in just 2.1 innings. The Angels needed their bats to wake up, but Mike Trout, Zach Neto, and the rest of the lineup couldn't break through. By the middle innings, Tampa Bay had built breathing room. The Rays' pitching depth was working. They had control of the game.

The seventh inning brought a spark for the Angels. Logan O'Hoppe came up with two outs and crushed a slider into left field. The ball sailed 384 feet—a solo shot that made it 3-2. Fans held their breath. Could the Angels mount a comeback? The Rays answered that question fast. Ben Williamson singled to center in the bottom of the seventh, and Caminero raced home. Then Yandy Diaz stepped up and drew a walk. Simpson, who'd been on third, came home too. It was 5-2 now, and that was it. Bryan Baker pitched a clean ninth for the save. The Rays held on. Los Angeles fell to 23-37. Tampa Bay improved to 36-20, staying one of baseball's best teams. The Angels' bats couldn't overcome their pitching troubles.