Rays at Angels
The Tampa Bay Rays have reached the .500 mark for the first time since the second game of the season and look to extend their winning streak to seven when they go for a road sweep against the struggling Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. Sergio Romo made his first major league start after 588 relief appearances, striking out the side in the first inning Saturday, and will get the ball to open the game again in the series finale Sunday for Tampa Bay.
Romo will become the first pitcher to start back-to-back major league games since 2012, when Zack Greinke was ejected July 7 and came back the next day to throw the first pitch for Milwaukee. Infielder Daniel Robertson belted his first career grand slam in the 5-3 victory Saturday for the Rays and is 6-for-14 during a four-game hitting streak while C.J. Cron had a hit to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 25 contests. Rookie Shohei Ohtani will try to put a halt to the Angels’ five-game losing streak when he takes the mound in search of his fourth victory Sunday. Former American League MVP Mike Trout homered for the second straight game Saturday for Los Angeles after going 1-for-22 over an eight-game stretch.
TV: 4:07 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Sergio Romo (1-0, 4.67 ERA) vs. Angels RH Shohei Ohtani (3-1, 3.58)
Romo whiffed Zack Cozart, Trout and Justin Upton on Saturday to get the Rays off to a great start and has not allowed a run in 5 1/3 innings over his last five appearances. The 35-year-old, who owns 84 career saves, will most likely be followed by right-hander Matt Andriese or lefty Anthony Banda after pitching at least one inning Sunday. Martin Maldonado has a homer against Romo, who is 1-0 and has permitted three runs over 12 2/3 innings on the road this year.
Ohtani recorded a pair quality starts in his last two trips to the mound, allowing three runs on nine hits and four walks with 17 strikeouts over 12 1/3 innings. The 23-year-old Japan native opened the season with a pair of strong outings before giving up seven runs across 7 1/3 innings and suffering his only loss to Boston in the next two before turning things around in May. Ohtani, who faces the Rays for the first time, has struck out 43 and walked 13 in 32 2/3 innings overall in 2018.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles SS Andrelton Simmons went 0-for-4 on Saturday to end a 25-game on-base streak.
2. Tampa Bay placed SS Adeiny Hechavarria (hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list Saturday and recalled RHP Ryne Stanek from Triple-A Durham.
3. Angels LF Justin Upton (hand) returned to the lineup after missing one game Saturday, but went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.