Angels sneak past Rays with ninth-inning run

Luis Rengifo produced a two-out RBI single in the ninth as the visiting Los Angeles Angels topped the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Tuesday for their third win in a row.

Rengifo dropped a single into shallow center to score pinch runner Kevin Newman and give Los Angeles the lead against Pete Fairbanks (1-1). Pinch hitter Logan O’Hoppe began the rally with a one-out single, and Newman moved to second on Taylor Ward’s groundout to third.

In the bottom of the ninth, Angels closer Kenley Jansen allowed singles and stolen bases by Taylor Walls and Jake Mangum, putting runners at second and third with no outs.

However, Rengifo threw out a Mangum at the plate on a fielder’s-choice grounder to third before Jansen struck out Brandon Lowe and Jose Caballero for his third save.

Angels reliever Brock Burke (2-0) tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

Kyren Paris slugged a two-run homer and walked as the Angels won for the seventh time in their first 10 games.

Los Angeles’ Kyle Hendricks was sharp in an scoreless five-inning outing. He allowed just two hits, struck out four and walked two.

Opening a mammoth 13-game homestand, the Rays got a homer from Junior Caminero. Jonathan Aranda was 2-for-2 with a double, a run and a walk. Kameron Misner had an RBI triple, walked and was hit in the helmet by a pitch.

Tampa Bay starter Shane Baz gave up just three hits, fanned six and walked four over seven innings of two-run ball.

The Rays put a runner on third in the eighth and ninth innings with no outs but failed to score each time as they lost their fifth straight game.

In the second inning, Baz issued a two-out walk and soon suffered the consequences against the hot-hitting Paris, who came in hitting .444. The Los Angeles second baseman launched his third homer, a 395-foot shot.

The Rays challenged that left fielder Christopher Morel failed to have a chance at a catch due to fan interference, but the blast was upheld for a 2-0 lead.

In the seventh, Caminero greeted Angels reliever Ben Joyce by driving a 98 mph fastball the other way, 375 feet to right-center, for his first homer. After Aranda singled, Morel stroked a game-tying double off the left-center-field wall. Misner followed with a triple to make it 3-2, the Rays’ first lead in a week.

Travis d’Arnaud’s groundout in the eighth brought home Rengifo for a 3-all tie.

–Field Level Media