Mike Trout's homer, RBI triple back Tyler Anderson's dominant start in Angels' 7-1 win over Rays
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 08: Pitcher Zach Eflin #24 of the Tampa Bay Rays throws against the Los Angeles Angels during the fourth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on April 8, 2024 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
TAMPA, Fla. - Mike Trout hit his fifth homer and added an RBI triple, and Tyler Anderson pitched seven-plus innings of four-hit ball in the Los Angeles Angels' 7-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
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Taylor Ward had three hits and drove in three runs for the Angels, who have won six of eight since getting blown out in their first two games of the season. Anthony Rendon also had three hits and scored three runs as Los Angeles also rebounded smartly from a blowout loss to Boston on Sunday.
"It was definitely a complete game performance," Angels manager Ron Washington said. "You find out the character of the people you're around when you get knocked down like we got knocked down yesterday and then come back and prove there is some character in that room. We've just got to sustain it and be consistent. We got punched, but it didn't bother us."
Trout continued his strong start with a triple in the first inning off Zach Eflin (1-2), followed by a 423-foot homer in the third. He added a two-out single in the eighth, but didn't get another chance to hit for the cycle for only the second time in his career.
Los Angeles finished with a season-high 14 hits, including four multi-hit performances.
Anderson (2-0) has thrown 14 consecutive scoreless innings against Florida teams to start his second year with the Angels. After dominating in Miami last week, he flummoxed the Rays with his speed variance and sharp location, striking out three with just one walk.
"It seemed like we couldn't get on one pitch (from Anderson)," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. "Whatever pitch we were on, he was throwing the opposite. He kept us off balance. Really efficient."
Anderson is the first pitcher in Angels history to begin a season with two starts of at least seven scoreless innings apiece, according to the team. He left to a standing ovation after giving up a leadoff single in the eighth.
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"We have a lot of great fans, and I feel like last year I didn't pitch well for them," said Anderson, who went 6-6 with a 5.43 ERA for the Angels in 2023. "To start off the year this way, it feels good."
Eflin yielded five runs and nine hits over five innings on his 30th birthday. The Rays dropped to 2-2 on their road trip.
Tampa Bay's opening-day starter struck out five, but gave up four two-out hits and allowed plenty of hard contact.
"They just had good at-bats against us," Cash said. "(Trout) is probably the last guy you want to come up to the plate when there's guys on base. He opened the game up."
Rendon singled and scored on Trout's triple to right in the first before Ward singled home the three-time AL MVP.
Trout then homered for the second straight day, driving a fastball over the ficus trees beyond center field in the third.
Randy Arozarena walked and went to third on Isaac Paredes' one-out double in the fourth for the Rays, but Anderson got Amed Rosario on an infield lineout and Curtis Mead on a 383-foot flyout to the center-field warning track.
Ward delivered again in the fifth with a two-out, two-run single. Luis Rengifo added a run-scoring single in the seventh, and Mickey Moniak got another in the eighth.
Tampa Bay's José Caballero singled in the fifth, reaching base in his career-best ninth straight game to start the season.