ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Brandon Lowe hit a three-run homer, and the Tampa Bay Rays overcame five scoreless innings from Los Angeles‘ Shohei Ohtani, rallying for a 3-1 victory over the Angels Wednesday night. Lowe went deep to center off Junior Guerra (2-1) in the seventh after Brett Phillips led off the inning with a walk, and Willy Adames flared a single to the left. Lowe is batting only .194 but is 9 for 33 with two home runs in his last nine games.
The Rays’ rally dampened what had been a solid outing for Ohtani, who didn’t allow a run through five innings for the first time in his last ten starts, dating back to 2018. The right-hander went five-plus innings, with the only hit against him being Phillips’ single in the second.
Ohtani retired the side only once as he walked six and struck out seven. It is the second time this season he has had a pitching line where he allowed only one hit, walked six or more, and whiffed seven or more.
Ryan Yarbrough (2-3) allowed one run on five hits in four-plus innings for the Rays, who have won four straight.
The Angels have dropped four straight and 10 of their last 14.
Jose Rojas led off the third with a double down the right-field line, advanced to third on David Fletcher’s bunt single, and scored three batters later when Ryan Yarbrough walked Jared Walsh with the bases loaded.
WEB GEM
Tampa Bay’s Willy Adames ended an Angels’ threat in the second when he made a diving play deep in the hole on a sharp grounder, got up, and made a three-hop throw to get Kurt Suzuki out at first.
OPENING UP
The Rays opted to go with a bullpen game for the fifth time this season. Andrew Kittredge got his second start and worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and a walk. They are 3-2 this season when using an opener.
placed on the injured list, retroactive to Tuesday, due to right groin tightness. Manager Kevin Cash hoped the right-hander could be activated after ten days. The Rays filled the spot by activating right-hander Pete Fairbanks (right rotator cuff strain). … 1B Randy Arozarena – in a one for-17 slump – got the night off.
Angels: 3B Anthony Rendon was placed on the injured list after fouling a ball off his left knee on Monday. … OF Justin Upton and C Max Stassi were not in the lineup. During Tuesday’s game, Upton bruised his right knee, and Stassi still felt the effects of falling into a railing near Tampa Bay’s dugout while trying to catch a foul ball. … P Félix Peña (right hamstring strain) is ready to come off the injured list, but manager Joe Maddon said there isn’t a spot to put him in the bullpen.
