Photo: The Canadian Press
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout hit his fifth home run and added an RBI triple, and Tyler Anderson pitched seven-plus innings of four-hit innings in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-1 win over the Tampa Rays Bay Monday. night.
Taylor Ward had three hits and three RBIs for the Angels, who have won six of eight since being eliminated in their first two games of the season. Anthony Rendon also had three hits and scored three runs as Los Angeles also rebounded smartly from a blowout loss to Boston on Sunday.
“It was definitely a complete game performance,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “You learn the character of the people around you when you get knocked down, like we were yesterday, and then come back and prove that there is character in that room. We just have to maintain it and be consistent. We received blows, but it didn’t bother us.
Trout continued his strong start with a first-inning triple against Zach Eflin (1-2), followed by a 423-foot homer in the third. He added a two-out single in the eighth, but didn’t get another chance to hit for the cycle for only the second time in his career.
Los Angeles finished with a record 14 hits, including four multi-hit performances.
Anderson (2-0) pitched 14 straight scoreless innings against Florida teams to begin his second year with the Angels. After dominating in Miami last week, he confounded the Rays with his variation in speed and precise location, striking out three with just one walk.
“It seemed like we couldn’t get a single throw (from Anderson),” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “Whatever pitch we were on, it was throwing the opposite way. He threw us off balance. Really effective.
Anderson is the first pitcher in Angels history to begin a season with two starts of at least seven scoreless innings each, according to the team. He left to a standing ovation after allowing a leadoff single in the eighth.
“We have a lot of great fans, and I feel like last year I didn’t pitch well for them,” said Anderson, who went 6-6 with a 5 ERA .43 for the Angels in 2023. “To kind of start the year this way, it feels good.
Eflin produced five runs and nine hits in five innings on his 30th birthday. The Rays fell to 2-2 on their road trip.
Tampa Bay’s Opening Day starter struck out five, but allowed four two-out hits and allowed plenty of hard contact.
“They just had some good at-bats against us,” Cash said. “(Trout) is probably the last guy you want to see at the plate when there are guys on base. He opened the game.”
Rendon singled and scored on Trout’s triple to right in the first before Ward won the three-time AL MVP.
Trout then homered for the second straight day, sending a fastball over the ficus trees beyond center field in the third.
Randy Arozarena walked and went to third on Isaac Paredes’ one-out double in the fourth for the Rays, but Anderson got Amed Rosario on an inside lineout and Curtis Mead on a 383-foot flyout to the home field. warning from center field.
Ward delivered again in the fifth with a two-out, two-run single. Luis Rengifo added a run-scoring single in the seventh and Mickey Moniak had another in the eighth.
Tampa Bay’s José Caballero singled in the fifth, reaching base in his career-best ninth straight game to start the season.
TRAINERS ROOM
Rays: SS Taylor Walls (hip), RHP Taj Bradley (pectoral) and OF Josh Lowe (oblique) are not set to return, Cash said.
Angels: RHP Chase Silseth was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The Halos’ fifth starter felt soreness after pitching five innings against Boston on Sunday. José Soriano will take Silseth’s place in the rotation, starting Wednesday in the series finale in Los Angeles.
FOLLOWING
Los Angeles LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-1, 6.14 ERA) tries to beat Tampa Bay for the first time in six career starts. The Rays counter with RHP Aaron Civale (1-1, 1.50 ERA), who is coming off an unlucky loss in a strong performance against Texas.
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