Rays look more like themselves in beating Angels, winning series
Sunday was more like it for the Rays.
After an admittedly ugly performance in a lopsided defeat on Saturday that was their fifth in six games, the Rays knew they had to get back to doing things differently, and certainly better, to maintain their three-plus-weeks hold as the top team in the American League.
And they did on Sunday, with a 5-2 series-clinching win over the Angels that featured many of the elements of their previous success as they improved to 36-20.
"I think it's a good way to put it: We played more like ourselves - the small ball, the moving guys over, great defense, decent pitching," said starter Shane McClanahan.
"It's baseball. There's going to be times where we lose some games, but there's going to be more times we win games. I think one thing this clubhouse did a really good job of was not getting too high, not getting too low. So to be able to respond the way we did this series was good."
There were promising signs early Sunday as Junior Caminero, after a frustrating game, was on the field two hours before first pitch working on his defense. Later, in the fifth inning, he made an impressive diving stop and throw.
That theme continued over the course of the game as the Rays combined strong pitching from McClanahan and three relievers, some of their daily dazzling defense and the diverse offense that has been on display much of the season. They scored runs on a solo homer by Jonathan Aranda, two RBI singles and two bases-loaded walks.
"It was just cleaner all the way around," said shortstop Taylor Walls, who also made a highlight-worthy play. "It starts with pitching and defense. Shane going out and putting together a good performance and getting us out of the first inning clean. Aranda coming up big with a homer in the first to get on the board early. Defense was great all night, I felt like, behind him.
"And we came through with a couple hits when we had runners in scoring position. I feel like we've done a really good job of getting runners in scoring position, especially (with) less than two outs. We've had good at-bats. We just haven't had the ball fall or been able to move them from third to home. I think (Sunday) we did that."
The Rays finished May 18-8 which, following their 18-12 March/April (those months are combined for MLB record-keeping), marked the first time in franchise history they won 18 or more games in back-to-back months in a season.
Also of note, they finished May leading the AL East. The other four times they did that - 2008, 2010, 2021 and 2023 - they went to the playoffs. It is the second time they reached 36 wins by then, previously in 2023.
After going 1-1 in New York and 0-3 in Baltimore, it helped to get back to Tropicana Field, where the Rays won their sixth straight series and improved their majors-best home record to 21-6.
"I do like that we came home and we were able to find a way to win a series after a challenging road trip," manager Kevin Cash.
Aranda got the Rays started with a first-inning homer, driving a 98.4 mph fastball that was down and in 409 feet to right and putting an exclamation point on an amazing May in which he hit .374 with four homers, 18 RBIs and a 1.024 OPS.
"Aranda's locked in," Caminero said. "I say, ‘How you do that?' Ball down. Great hitter."
The Angels got a run back in the second in McClanahan's only challenging sequence. He allowed a two-out single to ex-Ray Jose Siri and a double to Logan O'Hoppe, then bounced a curveball that catcher Hunter Feduccia couldn't corral for a wild pitch.
McClanahan worked five innings to improve his record to 6-2 and lower his ERA to 2.45. As usual, he felt he could have helped more.
"Well, I got the job done," he said. "I feel like I say this every single time, but I could have done some things better."
Scoring runs - and, more specifically, building rallies - was an issue during the Rays' skid, and they showed signs of coming out of that Sunday.
In the third, they loaded the bases against Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz with walks by Aranda and Richie Palacios, then Caminero hustling to beat the throw to first for an infield single.
Recent call-up Victor Mesa Jr., slapped a one-out single to score one run. Cedric Mullins worked a five-pitch walk to bring in the other.
There was a chance for more when Walls came up with the bases loaded and two outs and lofted a fly ball into the leftfield corner, but Siri timed his jump well and reached over the short wall to make the catch.
"I knew I squared it up, but I knew I hit it really high," Walls said. "Honestly, I thought it was probably going to be a flyout to the track, and then as it kept carrying and where it ended up, when he started to get to the wall, I'm like, ‘Dang, there's a chance this goes over.' And then he robbed it and I'm like, ‘Dude, you've got to be kidding.'
"I'm like,‘Dude, if I had, like, nine or 10 (homers) and you took one away, fine. I've got zero. Like, let me have one.'"
After the Angels closed to within 3-2 in the seventh, the Rays rallied again. Caminero walked (his fourth time on base) and Chandler Simpson hustled his way to first. There was a moment of concern as Simpson looked to pull up with a leg issue, but Cash said Simpson "spiked himself" in the knee and was fine.
With two outs, Ben Williamson pinch-hit vs. lefty reliever Drew Pomeranz and laced an RBI single. Walls walked to reload the bases, then Yandy Diaz worked an eight-pitch walk to make it 5-2.
"Runs have been a little challenging to come by," Cash said. "We'll take them however we can get them."
Wins, too.
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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 4:33 PM.