Mike Trout’s homer, RBI triple back Tyler Anderson’s 7 dominant innings in Angels’ 7-1 win over Rays

By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mike Trout hit his fifth homer and added an RBI triple, and Tyler Anderson pitched seven scoreless innings of four-hit ball in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

Taylor Ward had three hits and drove in three runs for the Angels, who have won six of eight since getting blown out in their first two games of the season. Anthony Rendon also had three hits and scored three runs.

Trout continued his strong start with a triple in the first inning off 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.

Anderson (2-0) has thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings against Florida teams to start his second year with the Angels. After dominating in Miami last week, he flummoxed the Rays with his speed variance and sharp location, striking out three with just one walk.

Anderson is the first pitcher in Angels history to begin a season with two starts of at least seven scoreless innings apiece, according to the team.

Eflin yielded five runs on nine hits over five innings on his 30th birthday. The Rays have dropped to 2-2 on their road trip. Tampa Bay’s opening day starter struck out five, but gave up four two-out hits and allowed plenty of hard contact.

Rendon singled and scored on Trout’s triple to right in the first before Ward singled home the three-time AL MVP.

Trout then homered for the second straight day, driving 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 infield lineout and Curtis Mead on a 383-foot flyout to the center field warning track.

Ward delivered again in the fifth with a two-out, two-RBI single. Luis Rengifo added a run-scoring single in the seventh, and Moniak got 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.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: SS Taylor Walls (hip), RHP Taj Bradley (pectoral) and OF Josh Lowe (oblique) aren’t close to returning, manager Kevin Cash said.

Angels: RHP Chase Silseth went on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The Halos’ fifth starter felt pain after pitching five innings in a loss to Boston on Sunday. José Soriano will take Silseth’s spot in the rotation, starting Wednesday in Los Angeles’ series finale.

UP NEXT

Los Angeles LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-1, 6.14 ERA) attempts to beat Tampa Bay for the first time in six career starts. The Rays counter with RHP Aaron Civale (1-1, 1.50), who is coming off a hard-luck loss in a strong performance against Texas.

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