Angels rally in 9th inning to beat Rays

The Angels surrendered a lead in the eighth, but then scored two runs in the ninth to go back on top and held on for a 5-4 win. Anthony Rendon and Taylor Ward drove in runs in the ninth, and then Hunter Strickland pitched the ninth.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A winning clubhouse is always going to be full of smiles, but they were a little wider for the Angels after their 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night, simply because of the circumstances that surrounded it.

“Those are the kind of games that get you going,” Angels starting pitcher Reid Detmers said. “Those are the type of games that make you want to freaking keep playing. Those are exciting games. We want to be there and win. Those are the type games that you get behind everybody and support everybody. That’s fun baseball.”

The Angels held the lead for most of the night, only to see the Rays go on top with a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth. But the Angels then rallied for two runs in the ninth.

And they did it all a day after they had dropped a gut-wrenching, 13-inning game when they failed to hold leads in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 13th innings.

“I think we did a good job of experiencing what we went through last night and coming out there tonight and just trying to take the game that we played to them,” Manager Ron Washington said. “I think we did that. When we fell behind, I think they showed to themselves what they’re made of the way they came back and took that ballgame.”

The Angels were on the verge of a disheartening loss after right-hander Hunter Strickland allowed Amed Rosario’s two-run homer with two outs in the eighth, but they leaped off the deck in the ninth, starting with the bottom of the order.

Nolan Schanuel and Zach Neto, two of the Angels’ struggling hitters, reached base with one out. Pinch-runner Jo Adell then stole third, with Neto stealing second a pitch later.

Anthony Rendon yanked a single into left field, driving in Adell to tie the score. Neto also tried to score on the play. He was initially called safe, but the play was overturned on review. Rendon went to second on the throw.

With first base open, the Rays then intentionally walked Mike Trout, who had started the scoring with his eighth homer of the season in the first inning.

Taylor Ward, however, was waiting in the on-deck circle. He has been on fire for the first few weeks of the season, particularly with runners in scoring position.

“I wouldn’t have pitched to Mike myself,” Washington said. “That’s why we’ve got Taylor Ward behind Mike. Pick your poison. Some nights you get away with it and some nights you don’t. Tonight they didn’t.”

Ward punched a single into right field, and Rendon slid home just ahead of the tag with the go-ahead run. It was Ward’s 20th RBI of the season, which is the most in the American League.

“I know being behind Mike that (intentional walks) are going to happen,” Ward said. “I want them to pay for that decision. So it makes it a little personal. I’m just glad I was on the right end of it today.”

Strickland then came back to the mound for an uneventful ninth, sealing a victory that he wished he could have locked up for Detmers.

Detmers, who said he didn’t have his best stuff, gave up two runs in 5⅓ innings. The Angels (9-9) would have liked to get another inning or two out of him after the way the bullpen was used in Tuesday’s game. Once Washington pulled Detmers, his plan was to have Adam Cimber finish the sixth and seventh, and have Strickland work the eighth and ninth.

Cimber escaped the jam that Detmers left him in the sixth, and then he was bailed out by Neto in the seventh.

The Rays had runners at first and second with one out, after an infield hit and a hit batter. Dangerous leadoff hitter Yandy Diaz hit a soft liner back up the middle. Neto raced toward the bag and snagged it, then flung himself to slap his glove on the base before the runner could get back, for an inning-ending double play.

After it was over, the players all pointed to ways that each had come through and they talked about what it could mean in the big picture.

“It can carry us a long way for sure,” Strickland said. “It’s a long year but we can always reflect back to this. You build a special bond when you go through moments like this. They carry you a long way.”