Angels, Mike Trout ruin night for Rays after strong Zach Eflin start

By Marc Topkin

Tampa Bay Times

ST. PETERSBURG — Rays manager Kevin Cash was asked before Monday’s game about the challenge of facing Angels star Mike Trout.

Cash suggested there was no easy answer, especially after seeing Trout go 6-for-12 with two homers in three games against Tampa Bay last week. He said the best strategy was to try to limit the number of runners on base when the three-time American League MVP steps to the plate.

“He’s good. He’s going to get his hits,” Cash said. “You just hope the damage comes when maybe there’s nobody on base.

“But Mike Trout’s too talented to really hold down.”

The Rays received a painful reminder in the eighth inning when Trout — batting with one on — hit a massive homer, estimated seemingly conservatively at 420 feet, off reliever Phil Maton.

It turned what looked to be a game that would reward the Rays’ Zach Eflin for a strong bounce-back start into a frustrating 7-3 loss.

Maton, who has had a rough first month with Tampa Bay after signing as a free agent, made more of a mess, allowing two singles and a two-out walk to load the bases. He then gave up a double to Matt Thaiss that cleared the bases and expanded Los Angeles’ lead to 5-1.

A two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth by Harold Ramirez got the Rays back to within 5-3. But Kevin Kelly allowed a two-run shot in the ninth to Taylor Ward.

Hagerty High alum Eflin had reason to be frustrated with his last outing, allowing the Angels five runs and lasting only five innings on April 8, making for an unhappy 30th birthday as well.

He made up for it on Monday, taking a shutout into the seventh.

Eflin didn’t start particularly well, allowing a leadoff single to Anthony Rendon and a two-out hit to Miguel Sano in the first. The Angels got another hit in the second when Jo Adell drilled a ball off Eflin’s glove hand with two outs, though Adell later ran into the third out.

Eflin settled into a good groove from there, retiring 11 in a row. He completed six innings with just 69 pitches, and Cash left him in to start the seventh without anyone even warming up.

But that changed quickly as Eflin allowed a leadoff single, then a one-out double. Jason Adam replaced Eflin and walked his first batter, Thaiss, to load the bases.

The Rays held onto the lead when second baseman Curtis Mead and shortstop Jose Caballero combined on a dazzling double play to end the inning.

The game was a bit of a reversal from the matchup six days earlier at Angel Stadium. That night, the Rays scored four runs off lefty Patrick Sandoval in five innings. Monday, they were shut down and nearly shut out.

After a mild threat in the fourth, with two two-out singles off Sandoval, they broke through for a run in the fifth but should have had more.

Singles by Mead and Jose Siri got them started, and a walk to Rene Pinto loaded the bases with no outs.

Yandy Diaz grounded into a forceout at home. But Ramirez bounced a ball high and over the mound, and when Sandoval gloved it his only option was to throw to first, allowing Siri to score.

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