tampa bay rays

Junior Caminero hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided a series sweep with an 8-3 victory over the Angels on Sunday.

Victor Mesa Jr. added a two-run homer later in a five-run eighth for the Rays, who have won four of six despite losing the first two in their weekend visit to Angel Stadium. Ben Williamson connected early for his second career homer.

Cedric Mullins drew a leadoff walk from Sam Bachman (1-1) before Caminero hit his 15th home run to left field, ending his 10-game homer drought. Hunter Feduccia added an RBI single before Mesa hit his third career homer off Bachman, who hadn’t allowed a homer since May 5.

Donovan Walton hit his first homer for the Angels, whose four-game winning streak ended. The last-place Angels had won five of six during the best stretch of its dismal season, winning both of its home series this week.

Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez left the game with low-back tightness in the third inning after 47 pitches.

Kevin Kelly (4-2) pitched two scoreless innings in a Rays bullpen game. Garrett Cleavinger escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the eighth created by Craig Kimbrel, who walked two and hit a batter with a pitch in the veteran reliever’s third appearance for Tampa Bay.

Chandler Simpson had a two-run single for Tampa Bay in the third, and Williamson added his first homer in a Rays uniform in the fourth for a 3-1 lead.

Angels outfielder Wade Meckler left in the fifth inning after crashing into the wall while trying to catch Williamson’s homer.

Walton connected in the fifth for his first major league homer since 2024 and only the fifth of his seven-year career. Jo Adell poked a tying single through the infield moments later.

Up next for the Angels: Walbert Ureña (4-4, 2.44 ERA) has made five consecutive outstanding starts going into Monday night at Arizona.

José Soriano pitched five innings, Denzer Guzman drove in three runs and the Angels extended their winning streak to four games with an 8-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night.

Jose Siri hit a two-run home run and Donovan Walton had two RBI hits to put the Angels in line for just their second series sweep of the season Sunday.

Soriano (8-4) gave up three hits with two walks and five strikeouts after taking a line drive off his chest and right shoulder area in the first inning. It was Soriano’s first scoreless outing in his past nine starts after he had five over his first six outings of the season.

Griffin Jax (1-5) gave up an unearned run over five innings for the Rays and absorbed a hard-luck loss after giving up five hits with five strikeouts. Jax remained winless in nine starts since moving into the rotation.

Cedric Mullins had two of the five hits for Tampa Bay, which did not collect its first hit off Soriano until Mullins singled leading off the fourth.

The Rays entered the series after a three-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox but have lost consecutive games to the Angels, who were tied for the worst record in the American League at the start of play Saturday.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Jo Adell scored after Rays shortstop Taylor Walls misplayed a ground ball by Nolan Schanuel.

The Angels added to their advantage in the sixth inning when Guzman delivered a two-out two-run single and Walton followed with his run-scoring double.

Siri crushed a two-run home run to center in a four-run seventh before Guzman and Walton added RBI singles.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Wade Meckler hit his first grand slam in the majors for the first of Los Angeles’ four homers in the Angels’ 14-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

Meckler connected off Drew Rasmussen (4-2) in the first inning. He also singled and stole a base.

Mike Trout hit his 14th homer of the season in the fifth and Jo Adell and Oswald Peraza had back-to-back shots in a seven-run ninth. Trout, the major league walks leader, also walked twice and scored three of the Angels’ season-high 14 runs.

Tampa Bay lost for just the second time in its last 18 home games.

Yandy Díaz’s 24th career leadoff homer, his second in two games, put the Rays on the board in the first. But Angels starter Reid Detmers (2-5) pitched out of a bases-loaded jam.

Junior Caminero doubled in the third inning, when his popup dodged the Tropicana Field catwalks before landing in the infield. But Detmers left him at second and Tampa Bay finished one for 12 with runners in scoring position, stranding 11 overall.

Four Angels relievers combined to one-hit the Rays over the final four innings.

In the top of the seventh inning, Angels shortstop Zach Neto scored on Ian Seymour’s wild pitch. Hip-checked by Seymour on the play at the plate, Neto remained on the dirt for several minutes before athletic trainers helped him to his feet. He walked off on his own power but did not return.

Neto’s replacement, Nick Madrigal, left in the top of the ninth inning after Andrew Wantz’s pitch ricocheted from Madrigal’s hand to his face. Adam Frazier pinch ran for Madrigal.

Up next: Angels RHP Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.99 ERA) was set to start against LHP Shane McClanahan (5-2, 2.52) on Sunday in the series finale.