Brandon Drury went 3-for-4 with what proved to be the decisive home run as the Los Angeles Angels edged the Tampa Bay Rays 7–6 on Saturday, August 19, in the first game of a split doubleheader in Anaheim, Calif.
The game featured a matchup of right-handers with two of the best ERAs since the All-Star break in Tampa Bay’s Tyler Glasnow (1.64) and the Angels’ Chase Silseth (1.59), but both starters struggled.
Silseth lasted just 3 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Glasnow (6–4) went six innings and was responsible for seven runs (five earned) on eight hits. He struck out seven without a walk despite taking the loss.
The Rays’ Josh Lowe, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, delivered a two-run single in the first for a 2–0 lead.
The Angels scored six runs across the second and third innings.
Los Angeles scored two in the second to tie the game after a pair of infield singles were converted to runs on an RBI single to right by Mickey Moniak and Randal Grichuk’s sacrifice fly.
In the third, the Angels pushed four across to go up 6–2 after another infield single and an error by Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda. Two runs came home for Los Angeles on a passed ball by Rays catcher Rene Pinto and a Glasnow wild pitch, and the Angels added on with an RBI single by Matt Thaiss and Grichuk’s run-scoring double to the center field wall.
In the top of the fourth, the Rays pulled to within 6–5 on a solo home run from Lowe, his 16th homer of the season, and a two-run shot to straightaway center from Pinto off Silseth. It was Pinto’s first long ball of the season.
Silseth’s short outing led to Griffin Canning, normally a starting pitcher, coming in to piggyback Silseth as a reliever capable of throwing multiple innings.
The Angels pushed their lead to 7–5 in the fifth when Drury hit his 16th homer of the year, an opposite-field solo shot to right center. But the Rays matched that when Aranda’s first homer of the season, a deep drive to right off Canning, brought Tampa Bay within a run.
Canning (7–4) struck out five over 3 1/3 innings while giving up one run on two hits to earn the win in relief.
Reynaldo Lopez worked around a leadoff single to pitch a scoreless ninth to notch his sixth save of the season, and his second as an Angel.
Angels Called Up Top 2023 Draft Pick Nolan Schanuel
The Los Angeles Angels are calling up first baseman Nolan Schanuel, their first-round pick in July’s Major League Baseball draft.
Schanuel, 21, was the No. 11 overall selection out of Florida Atlantic University, where he hit .447 with 19 home runs in the 2023 season.
As lead-off batter, Schanuel went 1-for-4, scoring a run in both games Saturday.
He was assigned to Double-A Rocket City on July 28 and was hitting .370 (27-for-73) with an OPS of 1.003. He had one home run and 15 RBIs.
His call-up is history-making. ESPN reported that he is the first player since Texas Rangers pitcher Jerry Don Gleaton in 1979 to be called up within 40 days of being drafted.
Last summer, he was playing in the Cape Cod League.
Game 2
Tampa Bay handily defeated the Angels in the second game of the double-header 18–4; Zach Eflin was credited with the win (13–7), while Patrick Sandoval recorded the loss (6–10).Angels Turn First Triple Play in 26 Years During 9th Inning Against Rays on Friday
The Los Angeles Angels turned their first triple play in 26 years during the ninth inning Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The triple play helped the Angels remain tied 6–6 going into the bottom of the ninth in an eventual 9–6 loss in 10 innings.
With runners at the corners and the infield playing shallow, Harold Ramirez hit a grounder to Luis Rengifo. The shortstop made the short toss to second baseman Brandon Drury to get Randy Arozarena and then threw to first baseman Nolan Schanuel.
Yandy Diaz was at third but did not go when the ball was hit. He waited until Drury threw to first to start home, but Schanuel made a perfect throw to catcher Logan O'Hoppe, who tagged out Diaz on his left shoulder before he could touch home.
O'Hoppe and pitcher Carlos Estevez both celebrated after the triple play was completed. It was the seventh triple play in Angels’ history and the first since July 5, 1997, against Seattle.
O'Hoppe was playing in his first game in nearly four months after suffering a torn left labrum while Schanuel was making his major league debut. Schanuel was the 11th overall pick in last month’s amateur draft.
It’s the fastest big league promotion for a draft pick since Chris Sale in 2010 with the Chicago White Sox.
Tampa Bay began the inning with back-to-back base hits by Diaz and Arozarena.
