Rays at Angels
The Tampa Bay Rays are knocking on the door of the .500 mark again after winning five straight games and can clinch a series victory when they visit the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night. The Rays won for the ninth time in their last 10 games at Angel Stadium Friday night by taking an early lead and posting an 8-3 victory as Wilson Ramos launched two homers to reach 100 in his career.
Brad Miller and Mallex Smith each registered three of Tampa Bay's 15 hits in Friday’s triumph while Christian Arroyo, who was acquired in the Evan Longoria deal during the offseason, is 4-for-8 with two runs scored and an RBI in two games since being recalled. Reliever Sergio Romo is slated to start Saturday’s game for the Rays and left-hander Ryan Yarbrough is expected to follow him to the mound in the second or third inning while lefty Andrew Heaney gets the ball for Los Angeles. The Angels have dropped four straight and are 3-6 on their 11-game homestand as they attempt to get their offense in gear after scoring seven times during the losing streak. Slugger Justin Upton (hand) missed Friday’s game and is day-to-day, but former MVP Mike Trout snapped a 0-for-21 slump with a solo homer for Los Angeles on Friday.
TV: 9:07 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Sergio Romo (1-0, 4.96 ERA) vs. Angels LH Andrew Heaney (2-2, 3.93)
Romo gets his first major league start in his 589th major league appearance as the Rays go with a bullpen game after getting strong outings from their starters the last two nights. The 35-year-old California native has not given up a run in his last four trips to the mound as a reliever, allowing one hit over 4 1/3 innings. Albert Pujols is 3-for-8 with a double against Romo, who owns a 4.15 ERA in five career outings versus the Angels.
Heaney has been outstanding in his last four starts, permitting six runs (five earned) on 19 hits over 25 innings combined while going 2-1. The 26-year-old Oklahoma native struck 10 in a career-high eight innings Monday against Houston, yielding one run on four hits to record a victory. Miller is 2-for-2 against Heaney, who will face Tampa Bay for the first time in his career but is 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA against AL East opponents in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons is 6-for-18 during a five-game hitting streak and has reached base in a career-best 25 straight games.
2. Tampa Bay SS Adeiny Hechavarria (hamstring) sat out Friday’s game and will be re-evaluated Saturday.
3. The Angels saw their franchise-record streak of 17 straight games where their starting pitcher allowed three or fewer runs come to an end Friday.