Rays 2, Angels 1: A low-scoring win gives Rays a series W
It was an early scoring, close game, but a win is a win is a win.
The Thursday day game saw Pepiot take on Canning, so let’s see how that unfolded at hope at the Trop.
In the top of the first, the Angels went down in order. The Rays wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the inning as Richie Palacios drew a walk, and then Amed Rosario tripled to score the run. A Harold Ramirez flyout scored Rosario. At the end of one, the Rays were already up 2-0.
Matt Thais got a one-out walk in the top of the second. Luis Rengifo followed that with a single, and Thaiss was able to advance to third on a fielding error from Jose Siri. A wild pitch from Pepiot allowed Rengifo to advance to second. Despite opportunities from the errors, the Angels were not able to score. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the bottom half.
Zach Neto singled to start the third, but the next three batters were set down in order. Yandy Diaz managed a one-out single in the bottom half, but the Rays failed to bring him home.
In the top of the fourth Miguel Sano drew a walk. A strikeout and double play then ended the inning. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Jose Caballero was hit by a pitch, but once again the Rays failed to capitalize on the baserunner.
Nolan Schanuel started the fifth with a one-out single, but the Angels were also struggling to convert baserunners, and so he spent the half inning at first and then headed back to the dugout. The Rays went down in order in the bottom half.
Mike Trout walked to start the sixth. He then stole second AND third, because if there’s one thing I think when I think about Mike Trout, it’s sneaky speed. Miguel Sano hit a sac fly to score Trout, but the Angels had to settle for just one run. Palacios singled to start the bottom of the fifth. The Rays challenged and won an out call at first and Rosario singled. A Harold Ramirez groundout advanced both runners. Unfortunately a pitch change to Griffin Canning resulted in an inning-ending double play.
Garrett Cleavinger was out of the pen in the seventh for the Rays. The final line for Pepiot was 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 7 K on 92 pitches. A nice, solid outing. The Angels were set down in order for the top of the seventh. The Rays went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
In the top of the eighth, Phil Maton was out of the pen, and Anthony Rendon hit a one-out single. The Angels didn’t manage to bring him home, though. In the bottom half, Yandy Diaz got a one-out single. The Rays failed to bring in any insurance runs, however, and headed into the ninth hoping to shut the Angels down.
Colin Poche got the call from the pen. Rengifo got a two-out single, but the Angels simply couldn’t muster a comeback and the game ended in a tidy Rays win.
Final: Rays 2, Angels 1