The Los Angeles Angels got back on track as they beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 14-3 to even their three-game set against the Rays at a game apiece as the Angels scored early, late and often.
The Angels offense was the star in this one, starting with a grand slam in the first inning by Wade Meckler off Tampa starter Drew Rasmussen. The Rays countered with a run in the bottom of the inning on yet another homer by Angels nemesis Yandy Diaz, who’s been crushing Angels pitchers in every game so far.
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Starter Reid Detmers survived some shaky innings in the beginning to keep the Halos lead at 4-1, and the Angels scored single runs in the fourth and fifth to briefly up their lead to 6-1. The first run came on an RBI single by Donovan Walton, with the second following via a solo bomb by Mike Trout.
The Rays got two back off Detmers in the fifth on an RBI double by Junior Caminero and a groundout by Ryan Village to make it 5-3, but that was as close as the Rays got as the Angels began to pull away.
The Halos padded their lead in the seventh on a wild pitch that scored Zach Neto, but Neto was badly hurt in a collision at home plate with reliever Ian Seymour as the reliever covered home plate to try and make the tag. Neto stayed down for several minutes before he was able to get up and walk off under his own power, but he appeared to be nursing a neck injury as he did.
That made it 6-3, but the Angels turned the game into a laugher with a seven-run ninth inning that featured a three-run homer by Jo Adell and a solo shot by Oswald Peraza.
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The bullpen did a much better job in this one as the Angels featured their more reliable relievers. Sam Bachman and Chase Silseth both pitched well in some tight situations, and Jose Fermin got a shaky hold when he came on in relief of Detmers, who went five to get the win. Rasmussen took the loss for Tampa Bay as the Rays had a rare bad pitching day that featured 14 runs, 11 hits and six walks.
The win gives the Halos a chance to win their third straight series, and they’ve now won six of their last eight. The rubber game is slated for tomorrow afternoon, and the Angels will send Jack Kochanowicz to the mound against Shane McClanahan of the Rays to try and get it done.