The Tampa Bay Rays won their second straight since the All-Star break, fourth overall, beating the Los Angeles Angels 6-3. And with the win, the Rays moved closer to the top of the American League East, trailing the Boston Red Sox by just 2 and half games.
The Rays jumped out in front 1-0 in their half of the second inning when shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria scored on an RBI groundout by catcher Jesus Sucre. And the Rays followed that second inning by scoring the next two innings. In the top of the third, first baseman Logan Morrison hit a two-run homerun, his team-leading 25th of the season, giving the Rays a 3-0 lead. And in the fourth, Sucre picked up his second RBI of the night when his single drove in outfielder Shane Peterson.
Meanwhile Rays pitcher Alex Cobb avoided trouble in the second and then in the sixth to give the Rays another solid start vs the Angels after rookie Jacob Faria pitched sixth plus innings on Friday night. Cobb ended the night with another start of over six inning by throwing 105 pitches in seven and two thirds, allowing six hits, but escaped any major damage vs the Angels better hitters like centerfielder Mike Trout and designated hitter Albert Pujols. Since early June, Cobb is 4-1 with a 2.16 era & has thrown over 49 innings in his last 7 starts.
The Rays added another run in the top seventh when third baseman Evan Longoria drove in a run on a sac fly. But the Angels ended any shutout talk when first baseman Luis Valbuena hit a solo homerun, the first of his two homeruns, this one, just out of the reach of centerfielder Mallex Smith. But after the Angles scored their lone run, the Rays, as they did earlier in the game, scored in consecutive innings when outfielder Steven Souza Jr hit a solo homerun that struck the camera area in left-centerfield.
The Rays go for the sweep in Anaheim on Sunday sending All- Star Chris Archer (7-5 3.95 ERA) to the mound vs minor league call-up right-hander Parker Bridwell. Coverage begins on 620 WDAE with the Inside Pitch hosted by Steve Carney at 2pm.