“If you’re going to put together a streak, you have to play well. And to play well, you have to be a good team. We’re trying to grow into that club,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said after a 9-5 loss to the Rays dropped his team to 4-4 on a road trip that ends Thursday night.
“Certainly some things have to come together for us to be the club that we have the potential to be.”
The Rays can say the same thing. While the Angels are off to a 29-28 start after winning the AL West last season, Tampa Bay is 30-31 following an improbable run to its first World Series appearance.
Wednesday night marked the 10th time the Rays have scored nine runs in a victory, however they’re 6-13 in one-run games — the second-worst mark in the league behind the White Sox (4-9).
“You’ve got to win some close games, too,” manager Joe Maddon said after a rare Tampa Bay victory against the Angels’ John Lackey. “Sometimes your offense isn’t going to score nine runs. You’ve got to be able to pitch and catch it, too.”
Carlos Pena and Willy Aybar homered off Lackey, who had won nine of 10 previous decisions against the Rays.
Pena hit a solo homer in the third inning and Aybar added a two-run shot off Lackey (1-2) for a 9-5 lead in the fifth.
Aybar also had an RBI single during a five-run second during which the Rays began the inning with four straight hits, three of them well-placed grounders that got through the right side of the infield.
“Kind of everything that could happen wrong happened. Good pitches, they managed to get infield hits. I throw a bad pitch, and they were hitting those hard,” Lackey said. “If a couple of those ground balls are at somebody, it’s a different game.”
Lance Cormier (1-1) pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings for the win.
The Rays ended a three-game losing streak in which the losses were by a total of four runs and Tampa Bay went 2-for-21 with runners in scoring position. The Angels have lost three of four following a three-game winning streak.
Red Sox 6, Yankees 5
At Boston, Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis homered as the Red Sox improved to 7-0 against the Yankees this season.
The Red Sox have beaten the Yankees eight straight times dating to the last game of last season — their longest winning streak against their longtime rivals since 1912.
Tim Wakefield (8-3) beat the Yankees for the second straight time after losing to them in nine of his previous 10 decisions. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth for his 15th save.
Mark Teixeira went 4 for 5 for New York, including his AL-leading 19th homer. Chien-Ming Wang (0-4) lasted just 2 2-3 innings.
Tigers 2, White Sox 1
At Chicago, Justin Verlander pitched a six-hitter for his first victory ever at U.S. Cellular Field.
Jim Thome hit his 552nd home run and John Danks pitched 7 1-3 strong innings, but the White Sox still fell 6 1/2 games behind the AL Central leaders. Adam Everett homered for the Tigers, who have won five of their last six.
Verlander (7-2) struck out nine and walked one in his second complete game this year. He has a 7-0 record and league-low 1.10 ERA since April 27.
Twins 6, Athletics 3
At Oakland, Calif., Pinch-hitter Jason Kubel hit a tying solo homer in the eighth and Delmon Young singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth.
Joe Crede tripled off Andrew Bailey (4-1) to start the ninth. Pinch-runner Alexi Casilla scored easily on Young’s single up the middle. Brendan Harris added an RBI single and two wild pitches by Bailey cost the A’s another run.
Matt Guerrier (3-0) recorded the final out of the eighth for the win and Joe Nathan finished for his 13th save.
Royals 9, Indians 0
At Cleveland, Gil Meche tied a career high with 11 strikeouts over seven innings and Kansas City hit three home runs.
Alberto Callaspo had a career-high four hits, including his first career grand slam, for the Royals, who also got two-run homers from Jose Guillen and Miguel Olivo to win for only the fourth time in 19 games.
Meche (3-5) allowed four hits and three walks in winning for the first time in seven starts.
The Royals took control with a four-run fourth off Carl Pavano (6-5).
Mariners 4, Orioles 1
At Baltimore, Jose Lopez homered twice and Felix Hernandez pitched seven solid innings.
Lopez finished with three hits, raising his batting average over the last 11 games to .364 (16 for 44). He hit a solo drive in the second and a two-run shot in the sixth for his third career multihomer game.
Hernandez (6-3) allowed one run and seven hits to improve to 4-0 at Camden Yards. David Aardsma got three outs for his 10th save.
Jeremy Guthrie (4-6), who gave up four runs and six hits in six innings, has allowed 16 homers this season, tops in the AL.
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