Angels Get Past Price, Rays 6-2
ANAHEIM (AP) — Collin Cowgill hit a three-run double, one of 11 hits the Los Angeles Angels got against reigning American League Cy Young winner David Price through his first 2 1-3 innings, and Jerome Williams ended a streak of eight straight losing decisions in a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.
The Rays' ninth loss in 12 games, coupled with Boston's 9-8 win at New York, dropped Tampa Bay 6 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading Red Sox. Those teams will meet next week in a three-game series at Tropicana Field after the Rays complete their 10-game West Coast trip with three at Seattle.
Williams (6-10) allowed two runs and six hits over 6 1-3 innings, struck out seven and walked two as the Angels earned a split of the four-game series. The right-hander was winless in his previous 13 starts with a 6.58 ERA since beating the Orioles 9-5 at Baltimore on June 12. His eight straight defeats were the most by an Angels pitcher since 1993, when Scott Sanderson was 0-9 in his final 11 starts with the club before being put on waivers.
Price (8-7) was charged with six runs while striking out six. The three-time All-Star left-hander, who won a career-high 20 games last season, has lost consecutive starts for the first time since dropping three in a row from July 20-Aug. 2, 2011.
The Angels built a 6-2 lead through the third, and everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit by then. Price didn't give up another hit after Kole Calhoun's RBI single in the third, retiring 14 of his final 15 batters.
The Angels opened the third with five consecutive hits, including a leadoff single by Mike Trout, who was picked off and then thrown out at second. Mark Trumbo and Luis Jimenez both doubled during the rally, and Josh Hamilton had an RBI single. Jimenez scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Grant Green.
Los Angeles put runners at the corners in the first with none out, but Price escaped that jam unscathed. Trout was called out on strikes by C.B. Bucknor on back-to-back pitches that were under the knees, and Trumbo grounded into a double play.
But the Angels loaded the bases with one out in the second, after third baseman Evan Longoria played Green's high chopper near the bag on the second hop and was too late to get the force on the sliding Hamilton. Cowgill then cleared the bases with a double to the gap in left-center on a 2-2 pitch, doubling his RBI total in his 29th game and 52nd at-bat with the Angels following the June 25 trade from the New York Mets.
The Rays got on the board in the third when James Loney hit a two-run double high off the 18-foot high wall in right-center with two out after David DeJesus and Ben Zobrist opened the inning with singles. Loney, who had back-to-back 90-RBI seasons with the Dodgers in 2008-09, raised his season total to 62 with his 200th career double.
NOTES: Three-time Gold Glove 2B Bobby Knoop was inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony, joining a select fraternity that includes 1960s keystone partner and ex-roommate Jim Fregosi -- who caught Knoop's ceremonial first pitch. The other members are Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Brian Downing, Chuck Finley, Don Baylor, Bobby Grich, original owner Gene Autry, longtime conditioning coach Jimmie Reese, and the entire 2002 World Series championship club. ... Price gave up a career-high 12 hits over 4 1-3 innings against the Angels on April 29, 2011, in an 8-5 home loss ... Rays CF Desmond Jennings, who entered this series batting .490 when putting the first pitch in play -- and .466 lifetime in those situations -- took the first pitch in all 15 plate appearances against the Angels. ... Former Angels C Jose Molina has been behind the plate for each of Price's last 16 starts (7-5, 2.94 ERA). ... The Angels, who eclipsed last season's loss total of 73 on Wednesday, need to go no worse than 8-15 to avoid the team's first 90-loss finish in Mike Scioscia's 14 seasons as manager.
