Rays 6, Angels 1
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Chris Archer struck out a career-high 15 batters to lead the Tampa Bay Rays over the Los Angeles Angels 6-1 Tuesday night at Angel Stadium.
Archer ended the Angels' five-game winning streak, a surge that was fueled by an offense that hit 13 homers and scored 33 runs during that span.
The right-hander dominated Los Angeles hitters by mixing his 96 mph fastball with a wicked slider and changeup, striking out at least one batter in each of his eight innings. Six Angels hitters struck out at least twice, including center fielder Mike Trout, who fanned three times.
Archer (6-4) struck out everyone in the Angels' starting lineup at least once except for first baseman Albert Pujols.
Pujols also provided the only run of the night off Archer, hitting a solo homer in the fourth inning, his sixth homer in six games.
Archer's 15 strikeouts tied a Rays record, previously accomplished by James Shield on Oct. 2, 2012, against the Baltimore Orioles.
Archer was coming off what had been his best start of the year -- eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks against the Seattle Mariners on May 27. The Tampa Bay bullpen, though, gave up a three-run homer to Nelson Cruz and the Rays lost 3-0.
On Tuesday, Archer did not walk a batter while permitting six hits. He has given up one run in 16 innings with 27 strikeouts and no walks in the past two starts.
The Rays got all the offense they would need in the first inning when second baseman Logan Forsythe hit a two-run homer off Angels starter C.J. Wilson (3-4). First baseman Jake Elmore also had a big hit, a two-out, two-run single in the sixth that pushed the lead to 4-1.
Wilson gave up five runs on four hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out seven.
Archer and Wilson were tough to hit early in the game -- Archer had 10 strikeouts through five innings and Wilson had six. Archer struck out the side in both the second and third innings, and he struck out five consecutive Angels hitters at one point.
NOTES: Angels CF Mike Trout started at designated hitter for the second time this season, just to get a partial day off. He went 0-for-4 and fanned three times. In his only other start at DH, he went 2-for-3 with a walk, double and two runs in Toronto on May 20. ... Rays OF Joey Butler entered the game hitting .338 (26-for-78), leading all major league rookies with at least 75 plate appearances. He went 1-for-4 Tuesday. ... Angels 1B Albert Pujols hit his 534th homer, tying Jimmie Foxx for 17th on the all-time list. He needs one more extra-base hit to tie George Brett for 15th on the all-time list with 1,119. ... Rays OF Mikie Mahtook, called up from Triple-A Durham after Monday's game, was in the starting lineup Tuesday, and he went 0-for-3 with a walk. ... The Rays have used the disabled list 17 times this season, most in the majors. They currently have 10 players on the DL.