ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Amed Rosario looked like he was going to be the Rays’ star of the game for a second straight night, hitting a two-run go-ahead homer with two outs in the eighth inning.

But little has come easy for the Rays in this first month of the season.

Closer Pete Fairbanks faltered again, allowing two runs and turning what would have been a second straight inspiring win into a frustrating 5-4 loss to the Angels on Wednesday night.

Fairbanks got the first out in the ninth, then allowed a single to Nolan Schanuel (who was replaced by pinch-runner Jo Adell) and walked Zach Neto. Both runners moved up by stealing a base.

Anthony Rendon followed with a single that initially looked to score both, but the Rays challenged the call at the plate on Neto as Randy Arozarena made a strong throw, and a replay reversal resulted in Neto being called out. The Rays intentionally walked Mike Trout with two outs and first base open, but Taylor Ward delivered a single and the go-ahead run.

On Tuesday, Rosario’s 13th-inning infield single gave the Rays a walk-off win. Wednesday, he hit the two-run, go-ahead homer with two outs in the eighth.

The Rays trailed 3-2, in part due to a lapse of attention that led to an Angels run in the fifth.

With two outs in the eighth, Isaac Paredes singled off reliever Hunter Strickland. Rosario, a spring training signing for a bargain $1.5 million, knocked the next pitch just over the left-field wall.

The game got off to a bad start for the home squad, as Trout did what he does best, which is hit against the Rays, and homered off Zack Littell with one out in the first.

Trout came into play Wednesday with a 1.082 OPS that was the highest career mark for any player at Tropicana Field, with a minimum 100 plate appearances. Next in line are Travis Hafner (1.076), Brian Daubach (1.054), Ivan Rodriguez (1.022) and David Segui (1.020).

...continued

©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.