Angels 2, Rays 0
Jason Vargas allowed only two hits over seven strong innings and visiting Los Angeles held on to win two of three in the series.
Luis Jimenez was 2-for-3 with an RBI while J.B. Shuck had a pair of hits and scored a run for the Angels, who have won five of their last six games. Vargas (8-5), who was in his fourth start since returning from the disabled list, struck out seven and walked three while matching his season high with 114 pitches.
Desmond Jennings and Yunel Escobar had doubles for the Rays, who remained 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the American League East. Tampa Bay starter Jake Odorizzi (0-1) yielded only one run and four hits over five innings in his first major-league start since June 18.
The Rays loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, but Vargas retired Sean Rodriguez and Escobar to end the threat. Jimenez, who was recalled Thursday from Triple-A Salt Lake City, delivered a two-out RBI single in the second to give the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Los Angeles made it 2-0 in the sixth when Shuck singled off reliever Alex Torres and later scored on Kole Calhoun’s two-out base hit. Dane De La Rosa pitched a scoreless eighth and Ernesto Frieri put two runners on in the ninth before retiring the final two batters for his 28th save.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Shuck is 8-for-18 in the last four games for the Angels after registering five hits in 13 at-bats in the series. … The Rays lost their first series at home since June 13-16 against Kansas City. They had won nine and tied one since. … The teams will play a four-game series in Los Angeles Sept. 2-5. Tampa Bay begins a 10-game road trip at Oakland and Los Angeles starts a three-game set at Milwaukee on Friday.