The Tampa Bay Rays took their first trip out west to play the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. After dropping the series to the Blue Jays and splitting the 2 game series with the Dodgers, the Rays are hungry for wins. Will they get them against Mike Scioscia’s Angels?
The Rays started the series strong with a four run 1st inning at the Big A. The scoring started with Logan Forsythe was on base and Evan Longoria hit a sacrifice fly to left that allowed him to score the first run. Later that inning Corey Dickerson came to plate and hit his sixth home run of the season. The 3 run shot had Steve Pearce and Steven Souza Jr scoring runs. The home runs didn’t stop there. In the 3rd shortstop Brad Miller belted his third of the year, a solo shot bringing the score to 5-0 Rays. The score would remain 5-0 Rays until the 7th when Steve Geltz walked Mike Trout and walked in the Angels first run. The Angles would score again in the 8th when after hitting a single to center, Andrelton Simmons would score on a fielding error by Steve Pearce. 5-2 Rays. The game would close out with Alex Colome on the mound he served up strikeouts to former Tampa Bay Ray Yunel Escobar and MVP Mike Trout, along with a ground out to first by Daniel Nava.
Rays ace Chris Archer had another strong outing pitching 6 innings with no runs scored, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts.
W: Archer (2-4) L: Rasmus (0-2) S: Colome (7)
Game 2 at the Big A stated out quiet, which is a testament to the skills the starters; Jake Odorizzi for the Rays and Jered Weaver for the Angels. Bats for both teams were quiet until the 5th when Simmons struck again. With a sharp single to left and 2 men on base, the first 2 runs of the game were scored when C. J. Cron and Johnny Giavotella crossed the plate. Score 0-2 Angles. The Rays would respond in the 6th with a 2 run shot by Souza Jr tieing the game 2-2. IN the 7th inning Erasmo Ramirez took over on the mound. The game would stay tied until the 9th when Forsythe singles to center and brings in Logan Morrison and Kevin Kiermaier cross the plate making the score 4-2 Rays. The game would conclude with that score as Colome would strikeout Kole Calhoun and although Cron made it to first, Giavotella grounded into a double play; that was game.
W: Ramirez (6-1) L: Smith (0-2) S: Colome (8)
The Rays have the chance to pull off their first sweep of the season if they win game 3. Matt Andriese got called up from the Durham Bulls to make his first major league start against the Angels. In the 1st Calhoun and Trout were on base when Albert Pujols came to the plate. Pujols hit a sacrifice fly to score the first run of the game. Sore 1-0 Angels This run made many Rays fans concerned about how the rest of the game would go, but Andriese settled in nicely and that was the only run he would allow. In the 3rd Brad Miller hit his 4th home run of the season to score Curt Casali making the score 2-1 Rays. Casali would score again when he hit a solo shot in the 5th, his 4th of the season. Score 3-1 Rays. Andriese pitched 7 innings with 1 run, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts. The Angels failed to score any more runs as Steve Geltz and Xavier Cedeno took the mound in the 8th, then Colome came in for his 9th save of the season.
W: Andriese (1-0) L: Tropeano (1-2) S: Colome (9)
The Rays continue their road trip as they head to Seattle to start a 3 games series tomorrow against the Mariners. Currently they share the top the spot in the AL West with the Texas Rangers and have 18 wins. Will the Rays bats stay hot against King Felix and the Mariners on Monday? Stay tuned to the Scrum to find out.
