Angels Race Out To Four-Run Lead, Then Hang On To Get A Dramatic 4-3 Win Over Rays

The Los Angeles Angels haven’t had many back-to-back victories this year, but they got a solid win over the Tampa Bay Rays as they ran out to a big lead early, then hung on to earn a 4-3 nail-biter over the Rays. 

The pitching hero was Sam Aldegheri, who stepped into the rotation and threw five inninvs of three-hit baseball as he gave up two runs, just one of them earned, to go with four strikeouts and a pair of walks. 

The scoring started in the first inning as the Trey Mancini rejuventation tour continued with a two-run triple that drove home Mike Trout and Jo Adell after they hit back-to-back singles.

The Halos got two more via an infield hit from Nick Madrigal and a single from Logan O’Hoppe to make it 4-0, but it was hardly time for the Angels to relax. 

Aldegheri struggled with his control all night, and the Rays got on the board in the fifth on a single by Jonathan Aranda that brought home two runs. He survived the inning by inducing a double-play groundout, and Aldegheri commented on his struggles after the game in a piece written by Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. 

“You’ve got to throw strikes and attack these guys because, at the end of the day, confidence is the most important thing for me,” Aldegheri said. “I'm really glad that they gave me the opportunity to start tonight. I wanted to show that I'm able to handle these games.

Relievers Chase Silseth and Mitch Farris held the line after that, but things did get hairy in the ninth as the Rays narrowed the gap to one with a run off Farris. The run scored on another RBI hit from Aranda, and that brought in Ryan Zeferjahn, who promptly walked Junior Caminero to load the bases with two outs. 

But Zeferjahn then struck out Cedric Mullins to get his second save of the year as the Angels survived the scare. 

Aldegheri was the headliner, though, as the Angels try to build a starting rotation. They just lost Jack Kochanowicz to Tommy John surgery to create an opening, and manager Kurt Suzuki commented after the game about Aldegheri’s effort. 

“I thought he pitched great,” Suzuki said. “He commanded his fastball to both sides of the plate, getting in on those righties. And then obviously the changeup's been a weapon for him, and he mixed in some breaking balls. But I think the biggest thing for him was attacking the strike zone. He was getting ahead, he was putting guys away, so it was nice.

“He certainly made a case. He pitched his butt off tonight and definitely put himself in the conversation.”