ANAHEIM -- The Angels rallied for four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday night, capped by Mike Trout's walk-off three-run home run, to pull out a 6-5 victory over the Rays at Angel Stadium. The back end of the Rays bullpen wasted another fine start by Erik Bedard, who was bidding for his third consecutive victory, and a home-run-robbing catch in the fourth inning by center fielder Desmond Jennings that robbed C.J. Cron of a two-run home run. 
The Angels, who had chances all night, got another in the ninth as Grant Balfour walked the first two batters he faced, then gave up an RBI single to Collin Cowgill, forcing Rays manager Joe Maddon to pull his closer in favor of Brad Boxberger, who came to face Trout and allowed his first career walk-off hit.The Rays also survived two successful Mike Scioscia replay challenges that reversed out calls at second base by umpire Jim Reynolds, only to have the Angels fail to come up with the big hits to make them pay off.Bedard allowed two unearned runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He's allowed one earned run in 17 2/3 innings in his past three starts.He worked six shutout innings in his last outing May 10 against Cleveland. And the Rays had a streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings halted by first baseman James Loney's run-scoring error on Erick Aybar's two-out grounder in the sixth, which also ended Bedard's night.Raul Ibanez greeted reliever Brandon Gomes with a pinch-hit, RBI single, but left-hander Jake McGee came in to strike out Grant Green and end that threat, stranding two runners. Angels starter Tyler Skaggs was again denied his first victory at home, in his fifth try -- although it was only the second time in eight Skaggs starts that the Angels have lost. The left-hander, who benefited early from diving catches by Aybar and center fielder Mike Trout, went six-plus innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while striking out five.Brandon Guyer homered leading off the seventh, ending Skaggs' outing.In the sixth, Wil Myers doubled home Logan Forsythe, then Loney singled in two more runs for a 4-0 Rays lead.That rally came on the heels of a successful replay challenge by the Angels in the bottom of the fifth that gave Green a double and put Angels on second and third with one out. But Bedard was up to his challenge, and retired the next two hitters to preserve a 1-0 lead.A fourth-inning throwing error by Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar put Trout at second base. It was Escobar's seventh error of 2014, matching his 153-game total last year.But, two outs later, Jennings reached over the fence in left-center to deny Cron a home run.Three singles got the Rays a run in the second, with Guyer driving in Loney with two out. It was Guyer's third RBI in 36 at-bats this season, but improved him to .364 (4-for-11) with runners in scoring position.Earl Bloom / Special to MLB.com
The Angels, who had chances all night, got another in the ninth as Grant Balfour walked the first two batters he faced, then gave up an RBI single to Collin Cowgill, forcing Rays manager Joe Maddon to pull his closer in favor of Brad Boxberger, who came to face Trout and allowed his first career walk-off hit.The Rays also survived two successful Mike Scioscia replay challenges that reversed out calls at second base by umpire Jim Reynolds, only to have the Angels fail to come up with the big hits to make them pay off.Bedard allowed two unearned runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He's allowed one earned run in 17 2/3 innings in his past three starts.He worked six shutout innings in his last outing May 10 against Cleveland. And the Rays had a streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings halted by first baseman James Loney's run-scoring error on Erick Aybar's two-out grounder in the sixth, which also ended Bedard's night.Raul Ibanez greeted reliever Brandon Gomes with a pinch-hit, RBI single, but left-hander Jake McGee came in to strike out Grant Green and end that threat, stranding two runners. Angels starter Tyler Skaggs was again denied his first victory at home, in his fifth try -- although it was only the second time in eight Skaggs starts that the Angels have lost. The left-hander, who benefited early from diving catches by Aybar and center fielder Mike Trout, went six-plus innings, allowing five earned runs on eight hits while striking out five.Brandon Guyer homered leading off the seventh, ending Skaggs' outing.In the sixth, Wil Myers doubled home Logan Forsythe, then Loney singled in two more runs for a 4-0 Rays lead.That rally came on the heels of a successful replay challenge by the Angels in the bottom of the fifth that gave Green a double and put Angels on second and third with one out. But Bedard was up to his challenge, and retired the next two hitters to preserve a 1-0 lead.A fourth-inning throwing error by Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar put Trout at second base. It was Escobar's seventh error of 2014, matching his 153-game total last year.But, two outs later, Jennings reached over the fence in left-center to deny Cron a home run.Three singles got the Rays a run in the second, with Guyer driving in Loney with two out. It was Guyer's third RBI in 36 at-bats this season, but improved him to .364 (4-for-11) with runners in scoring position.Earl Bloom / Special to MLB.com
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
