The Los Angeles Angels continued their recent surge Saturday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 8-0 at Angel Stadium for their fourth consecutive victory.
José Soriano delivered another strong performance on the mound, while Denzer Guzman drove in three runs and Jose Siri added a two-run homer as the Angels moved closer to their second series sweep of the season.
The win marked another encouraging step for a club that entered the weekend tied for the worst record in the American League. Los Angeles has now won four straight games and secured another series victory against a Rays team that arrived in Anaheim after sweeping the Boston Red Sox.
Soriano Overcomes Early Scare
Soriano improved to 8-4 after working five scoreless innings despite taking a line drive off his chest and right shoulder area in the first inning.
The right-hander showed no lingering effects from the comebacker. He allowed three hits, walked two, and struck out five before turning the game over to the bullpen.
The outing carried extra significance for Soriano, who recorded his first scoreless start in nearly two months. After opening the season with five scoreless outings in his first six starts, he had not kept an opponent off the board in any of his previous eight appearances.
Tampa Bay struggled to generate offense against him. Cedric Mullins recorded the Rays’ first hit when he singled to begin the fourth inning. The Rays finished with only five hits on the night.
Angels Break Through In Fourth
The game remained scoreless until the fourth inning when the Angels capitalized on a defensive mistake.
Jo Adell reached base and later came around to score after Rays shortstop Taylor Walls mishandled a ground ball hit by Nolan Schanuel. The error gave Los Angeles a 1-0 lead and shifted momentum toward the home side.
While the Angels did not produce a large number of hits early against Tampa Bay starter Griffin Jax, they consistently put pressure on the Rays and took advantage of opportunities when they appeared.
Jax delivered a respectable outing despite suffering the loss. He allowed only one unearned run over five innings while striking out five. However, he received little offensive support and remained winless since joining Tampa Bay’s rotation full-time.
Sixth-Inning Rally Creates Separation
Los Angeles finally created breathing room in the sixth inning.
With two outs, Denzer Guzman lined a two-run single to extend the lead. Donovan Walton followed immediately with an RBI double, pushing the advantage to 4-0.
The back-to-back hits broke open what had been a tightly contested game and gave the Angels bullpen a comfortable cushion.
Guzman continued his productive night after entering the game, looking to establish a larger role in the lineup. Walton also delivered a key contribution, finishing with two RBI hits.
Siri Powers Four-Run Seventh
The Angels put the game away in the seventh.
Jose Siri launched a two-run homer to center field, providing another reminder of the power that has made him an important part of the lineup. The blast highlighted a four-run inning that stretched the lead to 8-0.
Guzman added another RBI single later in the frame, and Walton followed with an RBI hit of his own.
The offensive outburst gave Los Angeles eight runs despite collecting only a modest number of hits through the first half of the game. Timely hitting and aggressive execution with runners on base proved decisive.
Rays Unable To Respond
Tampa Bay entered the series riding momentum from its sweep of Boston, but has struggled to find an offensive rhythm against the Angels.
The Rays managed only five hits Saturday and never advanced enough runners to seriously threaten Soriano or the Los Angeles bullpen.
Mullins accounted for two of Tampa Bay’s hits, but the lineup failed to generate sustained pressure throughout the evening.
The loss dropped the Rays to consecutive defeats after entering Anaheim on a high note.
Up Next
The Angels will attempt to complete a three-game sweep Sunday afternoon. Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez, who carries a 2-2 record and an 8.20 ERA, is scheduled to start for Los Angeles.
Tampa Bay had not announced a starting pitcher following Saturday’s game as the Rays look to avoid being swept and salvage the final game of the series at Angel Stadium.
