Los Angeles Angels vs Tampa Bay Rays Box Score on May 22, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 22, 2017

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Los Angeles Angels got a solid start from JC Ramirez and scored the go-ahead run on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the seventh inning for a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night at Tropicana Field.

The Angels (24-23) won a battle of .500 teams, with their bullpen holding up better than that of Tampa Bay, which couldn't maintain an early lead for starter Jake Odorizzi in the opener of a four-game series.

Odorizzi held the Angels to two runs in six innings, but the bullpen let the first batter it faced score the go-ahead run in the seventh.

Reliever Jumbo Diaz (0-3) walked Jefry Marte to lead off the seventh, and Marte took second on a wild pitch and third on a flyout. Diaz then walked Cameron Maybin. Reliever Ryne Stanek intentionally walked Mike Trout to load the bases with one out.

With Albert Pujols at the plate, Stanek threw a wild pitch that allowed Marte to score for a 3-2 lead. Stanek intentionally walked Pujols, and with the bases loaded, got Luis Valbuena to foul out to end the inning.

The Rays (23-24) had chances to tie the score -- Steven Souza Jr. walked to lead off the eighth and Evan Longoria got a two-out single to put two on. The Angels turned to closer Bud Norris, who struck out Logan Morrison to end the inning.

Norris also pitched the ninth for his ninth save of the season.

Ramirez (4-3) kept the Rays in check, giving up six hits in 6 2/3 innings but holding them to two first-inning runs.

The Rays effectively pitched around the Angels' two best bats, with Trout and Pujols going a combined 0-for-6 with three walks and three strikeouts.

The Angels jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first, only to trail 2-1 after two solo home runs in the bottom of the inning.

Los Angeles got a leadoff single from Maybin off Odorizzi's foot, and Maybin stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Derek Norris.

With runners at first and third with one out, Odorizzi got Pujols to pop out, but Andrelton Simmons hit a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead. Odorizzi got out of the inning by striking out Kole Calhoun, avoiding further damage.

The Rays tied the score quickly on a solo home run by red-hot Corey Dickerson, who hit his 12th homer of the season and his sixth in the last six games.

Dickerson had the team lead for only a few minutes, as Logan Morrison added another solo shot, his 12th of the season, for a 2-1 lead against Ramirez.

The Rays had three hits in the first inning, then just one in the next four, as Ramirez settled in and kept the Rays in check until Maybin tied the score in the fifth with a home run off the catwalks high above the playing field to make it 2-2.

The ball initially dropped into the field of play, but the Tropicana Field ground rules call for a home run when the "C" catwalk is hit by a fair ball.

Odorizzi pitched well, striking out eight in the first six innings -- the Angels got a single by Simmons and double by Calhoun with one out in the fourth, but Odorizzi again got out of the jam without allowing a run.

NOTES: The Rays had Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie O.J. Howard, a tight end from Alabama and the team's first-round pick, throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Howard also took batting practice before the game, and a group of 20-plus Bucs rookies watched the game. ... The Angels have eight pitchers on the disabled list -- Los Angeles ranks second in the majors with 21 pitchers already used during the 2017 season. Only Seattle, with 25, has used more. ... Los Angeles DH Albert Pujols returned to the lineup after missing three games with soreness in his right hamstring. Pujols batted third and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.