Rays Win Again With Familiar Script, an Arozarena HR and More Fine Pitching
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Next verse, same as ... well, you know. It's the Tampa Bay Rays and they've been easy to figure out during this two-week hot streak. Randy Arozarena gets a big hit, the starting pitching is great and the bullpen slams the door again.
It was the same rinse-repeat deal on Monday, when the Rays beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 at Tropicana Field for their eighth win in the past 10 games. They are 66-55 now, 11 games over .500, which ties a season high. They moved into second place in the American League East, remaining eight games behind the New York Yankees and a half-game ahead of Toronto.
That winning formula? It's contagious, without a doubt.
"When you win, it's kind of contagious and everyone is in good spirits,'' shortstop Taylor Walls. "And everyone is really playing well right now.''
There's no doubt about that. Arozarena hit the game-winner on Monday, a solo home run in the fifth that broke a 1-1 tie. It's his team-leading 17th homer of the year, and his fifth in the past 12 games. He has 19 RBIs this month, which leads the American League.
He also hit this home run to right field, just his second opposite field homer of the year. It just shows you good he's seeing the ball, no matter where he's pitched.
"I'm happy that I was able to connect with that today. Anything that I can do to help this team win, that's what I want,'' Arozarena said through translator Manny Navarro. "This is a very important time of the season. We've got 40 games left, and everybody is a little more focused and concentrated right now.
"Thank God I was able to make good contact. As everyone knows, I try to hit the ball hard all the time and I was able to do it on that one. As long as we can keep doing that, we're going to be OK.''
The Rays got another sensational start, this time from Jeffrey Springs. He's now 6-3 in the season, and his ERA has dropped to 2.46. He pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed just one run while striking out seven.
The Rays scored first, getting a run in the fourth inning. They opened the innings with singles by Harold Ramirez and Yu Chang, but then catcher Francisco Mejia hit into a double play, with Ramirez going to third. David Peralta followed with an RBI single.
Los Angeles tied the game in the fifth on three singles, the last one coming from Mike Trout that drove in a run. Arozarena hit his one-out homer in the bottom of the inning, and that turned out to be enough.
The Rays bullpen was spectacular once again. After two strikeouts and two walks in the sixth, Rays manager Kevin Cash pulled Springs after 98 pitches and brought in lefty reliever Jalen Beeks. The Angels pinch-hit with star Shohei Ohtani, but Beeks got him to strike out on a series of change-ups to end the inning.
Beeks also pitched a scoreless seventh. Jason Adam pitched the eighth, getting three strikeouts around a walk.
Cash chose to go with Shawn Armstrong to close out the game, which was something of a surprise. But he was sensational, retiring the side in order for his first save of the year, and his first save since 2019.
He's the 10th Rays pitcher to record a save this year.
"It's so fun being a part of a bullpen where you know whoever goes in there, they're going to do their job,'' said Adam, who now has a 1.07 ERA on the year and hasn't allowed a run in 13 straight appearances. "It's a great group of guys, and Army made it look easy (in the ninth). He's going to be fun to watch down the stretch.
"Just get your outs. We don't care, whether it's the first or the ninth. That's awesome. Army's a great example of that tonight, being prepared for every situation.''
Shawn Armstrong pitched a perfect ninth inning for Tampa Bay on Monday, recording his first save of the season in the 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. (USA TODAY Sports)
Armstrong said the same thing, that he feels confident no matter which inning it is.
"I just wanted to come in and throw strikes and attack the zone like we preach day in and day out,'' Armstrong said. "I feel good, and my stuff is in a really good spot right now, probably the best I've in my career.
"It's a fun group, and we're trying to make the playoffs and win a World Series. We're a confident group, and I appreciate the confidence. As a bullpen, we all believe in each other. I'm blessed to be here. The ninth, it didn't matter. Just get the job done when your name gets called.''
That extra boost in the locker room is evident as the Rays start stacking some wins now. There's still a lot of accomplish,'' Armstrong said.
"It's not just about getting a wild-card. That's not us,'' Armstrong said. "For us, we want to catch the (New York) Yankees and win the division. Everyone in this locker room is playing good baseball right now and we've just got to stay hot. I definitely feel like we can do that.''
The two teams meet again on Tuesday night, with Corey Kluber (7-7, 4.33 ERA) taking on Angels lefty Jose Suarez (4-5, 4.12 ERA)
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