Trout homers in Angels' 7-2 win over Rays

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Mike Trout accomplished something Wednesday night that no other major leaguer ever has, and it never even entered his mind.

The Angels All-Star center fielder homered to back six strong innings from Jered Weaver in Los Angeles' 7-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Trout led off the fifth inning with his 18th home run to put the Angels up 7-0. It was the 157th homer for the 24-year-old, who moved past Chili Davis into sixth place on the franchise list.

With his 100th hit, Trout became the first player to collect 100 hits and 15 home runs before the All-Star break four times before his age-25 season. Miguel Cabrera and Jimmy Foxx are the only other players to have accomplished the feat three times.

''That's the first time I've heard that,'' said Trout, who will start in center field for the AL in Tuesday night's All-Star Game. ''I just go out there and play my game. I'm not going (up there thinking) I need one more hit for 100 hits.''

With the homer and walk in five plate appearances, Trout has reached base 33 times in his last 56 plate appearances.

''I feel good at the plate,'' he said. ''I'm missing some pitches but it's baseball. It's tough.''

Weaver (7-7) struck out five and gave up four hits, including Logan Forsythe's seventh home run. It was only the second time in his last 14 starts Weaver has allowed one run or fewer.

''This is the best stuff I think we've seen Weave have,'' manager Mike Scioscia said.

''My stuff felt the same as it has all the time,'' Weaver said. ''It was a matter of locating and keeping those guys off-balance. I trusted my fastball more and my fastball location was pretty good.''

Evan Longoria had three hits for the Rays, who lost for the 18th time in 21 games.

The Angels broke it open with four runs in the third off Rays starter Drew Smyly. After Jett Bandy, Andrelton Simmons and Yunel Escobar loaded the bases with singles, Smyly walked in the first run. Trout bounced into a potential double play, but second baseman Nick Franklin's relay throw went wild, allowing two more runs to score on the first of three Tampa Bay errors. After Trout stole third base, Albert Pujols made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Smyly (2-10) gave up seven runs, four earned, on eight hits in four innings. The left-hander is winless in nine starts since his last victory on May 16.

''We're not winning. I didn't pitch well. We didn't defend well. We didn't hit well, and it starts with me,'' Smyly said. ''I've got to put up zeroes. I let it spiral out of control. That's on me.''

With two hits, Escobar extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: OF Shane Robinson was placed on the 15-day disabled list after being hit by a pitch on his right ankle, then rolling the same ankle Tuesday night . ... C Geovany Soto was scheduled to catch for Triple-A Salt Lake on Wednesday night, and Scioscia has not ruled out his activation for the weekend series at Baltimore.

Rays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning in his first rehab start for Class A Charlotte. ... RHP Chase Whitley (Tommy John surgery) mixed in curveballs for the first time among his 35 pitches during his third session against hitters. ... RHP Brad Boxberger (left oblique) threw 15 pitches in his first batting practice outing. ... CF Kevin Kiermaier (broken left hand), who could return soon after the All-Star break, hit several liners off Whitley and Boxberger in his initial live BP session.

MOVING DAY

Rays: LHP Dana Eveland was designated for assignment and RHP Dylan Floro had his contract purchased from Triple-A Durham. RHP Ryan Webb cleared waivers and was released.

SOUZA STARTING

Rays RF Steven Souza Jr. was in the starting lineup one day after being pulled Tuesday night for not running hard out of the batter's box in what turned into a triple after his routine fly ball dropped between two Los Angeles outfielders.

''It was over the second the game was over,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Souza admitted his mistake.

''I was really impressed with the way he handled it,'' Cash said. ''He owned it. He had a lapse. We all have lapses. We'll look to move past it now.''

UP NEXT

LHP Hector Santiago (5-4) will pitch for the Angels in Thursday's series finale against rookie LHP Blake Snell (1-3). It will be Snell's sixth major league start.