ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Drew Rasmussen won his third consecutive start, Manuel Margot got four hits and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Los Angeles Angels 8-3 Thursday to complete a four-game sweep.
The Angels lost their sixth in a row.
Rasmussen (9-4), who took a perfect game into the ninth inning and a no-hitter into the sixth in his previous two starts, gave up one run, six hits and struck out nine over 5 1 /3 innings.
There wasn’t any no-hit drama this time — Magneuris Sierra got the Angels’ first hit with a two-out triple in the second.
Isaac Paredes hit a two-run homer during a five-run third for Tampa Bay, which has won 11 of 13 and holds the top AL wild-card spot.
Taylor Ward hit a solo home run in the fourth for the Angels, who have lost nine of 10.
Shohei Othani went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts against Rasmussen, fanning in a 10-pitch at-bat in the first. The 2021 AL MVP had an RBI double off Ryan Thompson in a two-run eighth.
Margot, who returned last weekend after missing two months because of a knee injury, tripled and doubled. He drove in two runs and scored twice.
Patrick Sandoval (4-9) allowed five runs — one earned — and five hits over six innings in his first start since a four-hit shutout of Detroit last Friday.
Jose Siri opened the Ray third with a single and moved up when second baseman David Fletcher was charged with an error for an errant flip on Yandy Díaz’s grounder.
Margot hit a two-run triple and scored when shortstop Andrew Velaquez’s throw home on Harold Ramierz’s grounder with the infield in was off the mark.
Harold Ramierz had a two-run single during a three-run seventh. He has a 11-game hitting streak since returning from a broken right thumb.
GETTING AROUND
Mike Ford, selected by the Angels from Triple-A Salt Lake, singled twice in four at-bats. He has also played with San Francisco, Atlanta and Seattle this season.
SPECIAL PITCH
Kazuhiro Nakai, the Consulate General of Japan in Miami, threw the ceremonial pitch as part of the 150th year celebration of Japanese baseball. After talking with Ohtani in front of the Los Angeles dugout, Nakai put on a Rays’ home jersey with No. 150 and a glove, and made his toss from the mound. Leaving the field, he hopped over the first-base line.
MINORS’ MATTERS
The rookie-level Florida Complex League championship series will feature the Rays and Yankees, and begins Friday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: CF Mike Trout had a scheduled day off. … 1B Jared Walsh was put on the injured list with thoracic outlet syndrome.INF Mickey Moniak (broken left middle finger) is taking dry swings.
Rays: SS Wander Franco (hand soreness) will remain in St. Petersburg to work out through the weekend. … RHP Shane Baz (sprained right elbow) will resume playing catch Monday.
UP NEXT
Angels: LHP Reid Detmers (4-4) and Toronto RHP Mitch White (0-1) are Friday night’s starters. A couple of Los Angeles players are not expected to make the trip because Canada prohibits visitors who are not vaccinated from entering the country.
Rays: LHP Ryan Yarbrough (1-7) will start or follow an opener Friday night against Boston RHP Michael Wacha (8-1).
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