{"id":290530,"date":"2026-05-31T00:24:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T00:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/290530\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T00:24:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T00:24:33","slug":"angels-7th-inning-meltdown-leads-to-loss-against-rays-orange-county-register","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/290530\/","title":{"rendered":"Angels\u2019 7th-inning meltdown leads to loss against Rays \u2013 Orange County Register"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Angels<\/p>\n

Angels starting pitcher Walbert Ure\u00f1a throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo by Julio Aguilar\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Angels<\/p>\n

Angels starting pitcher Walbert Ure\u00f1a throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Angels\u2019 Nick Madrigal hits a single during the second inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo by Julio Aguilar\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Yandy D\u00edaz, right, celebrates with third base coach Brady Williams as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Fans<\/p>\n

Fans in the \u201cTarp Off\u201d section of the stadium wave shirts during the first inning of the Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Yandy D\u00edaz celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Angels\u2019 Vaughn Grissom connects for an RBI single during the third inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Angels\u2019 Vaughn Grissom hits an RBI single during the third inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo by Julio Aguilar\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

\"Angels<\/p>\n

Angels starting pitcher Walbert Ure\u00f1a throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Nick Martinez throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Angels\u2019 Zach Neto hits a double during the third inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo by Julio Aguilar\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Junior Caminero gestures after hitting a double during the third inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero throws the ball to first base but not in time on a bunt single by the Angels\u2019 Oswald Peraza during the fourth inning on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Angels<\/p>\n

Angels second baseman Oswald Peraza forces out the Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Ben Williamson at second base and throws to first in time to turn a double play during the fourth inning on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Angels\u2019 Jose Siri watches his double during the fifth inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Angels\u2019 Zach Neto hits an RBI single during the fifth inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Richie Palacios forces out the Angels\u2019 Zach Neto (9) at second base and turns a double play on Mike Trout during the fifth inning on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Richie Palacios, left, tags out the Angels\u2019 Nick Madrigal as he tried to steal second base during the seventh inning on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Yandy D\u00edaz celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Angels<\/p>\n

Angels relief pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn, left, reacts as the Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Yandy D\u00edaz runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Yandy D\u00edaz, middle, celebrates after hitting a two-run home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Jonathan Aranda, right, celebrates with third base coach Brady Williams as he runs the bases after hitting a home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Angels<\/p>\n

Angels relief pitcher Ryan Zeferjahn, left, walks off the mound after being removed by Manager Kurt Suzuki during the seventh inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo by Julio Aguilar\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The Tampa Bay Rays\u2019 Richie Palacios, left, celebrates after hitting a two-run triple as Angels third baseman Nick Madrigal applies a late tag during the seventh inning on Friday night in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Angels allowed seven runs in the seventh in an 8-5 loss. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Bryan Baker celebrates after the final out of the ninth inning of an 8-5 victory over the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

\"Tampa<\/p>\n

Tampa Bay Rays \u201cTarps Off\u201d T-shirts are shown in a special section of the left field stands before a game against the Angels on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo\/Chris O\u2019Meara)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 27<\/p>\n

Angels starting pitcher Walbert Ure\u00f1a throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday, May 29, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Photo by Julio Aguilar\/Getty Images)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. \u2014 A nice tidy game turned ugly in a hurry for the Angels on Friday night.<\/p>\n

The Angels brought a one-run lead into the seventh inning, and then just about everything went wrong in a seven-run inning that sent them to an 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.<\/p>\n

There were bad pitches, an error and even a missed challenge that opened the door for all of it.<\/p>\n

Right-hander Ryan Zeferjahn took the mound to start the inning with a 2-1 lead after Walbert Ure\u00f1a had pitched six strong innings.<\/p>\n

Zeferjahn walked No. 9 hitter Cedric Mullins to start the inning, always an ominous sign. Zeferjahn then got ahead of Yandy Diaz, 0-and-2, and he threw him a fastball on the outside corner<\/a>. It was called a ball. Catcher Logan O\u2019Hoppe didn\u2019t challenge, even though the Angels had both of their challenges available.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you want that one back,\u201d O\u2019Hoppe said.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Hoppe has been right on 60% of his challenges this season, which is slightly better than the major league average of 58% for catchers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere might have been a good spot to challenge, two strikes, at that spot,\u201d Manager Kurt Suzuki said. \u201cBut he\u2019s been pretty good challenging. You trust him. He felt like it was a ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the next pitch, Zeferjahn hung a sweeper over the middle and Diaz hit a two-run homer. Zeferjahn hung another sweeper to Jonathan Aranda, who hit another homer.<\/p>\n

Zeferjahn had struggled earlier in the season, when the Angels were using him for multiple innings. This was a rare outing in which he didn\u2019t have it from the start. Zeferjahn was charged with four runs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like I\u2019m just kind of not finishing right now,\u201d Zeferjahn said. \u201cThings are up, pulling things. Just all out of whack. I thought I got back on path yesterday a little bit. Felt a little better. But the leadoff walk and then everything, two sweepers that are up, not finishing anything, it\u2019s getting me hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n

The inning got out of hand with left-hander Brent Suter on the mound. Rays speedster Chandler Simpson dropped down a bunt and rushed the Angels into an error. Suter then gave up back-to-back hits as the Rays blew the game open.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne bad inning,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cA walk and then two homers and that kind of started the inning off and then it was just what Tampa does. They put pressure on you. They can run. They bunt. They do all that type of stuff. It was hard to get it stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n

It all ruined a nice performance from Ure\u00f1a, who cut his ERA to 2.53 in eight starts. The 22-year-old right-hander had allowed two runs or fewer in seven of them.<\/p>\n

Ure\u00f1a gave up a homer to Diaz on his second pitch of the night. Ure\u00f1a threw a 1-and-0 sinker over the middle and Diaz lifted it to the opposite field, just over the right field fence.<\/p>\n

That was the only blemish of the night for Ure\u00f1a, who got out of a few jams through the rest of his six innings.<\/p>\n

The Rays had two runners on in the third, fourth and sixth innings. In the fourth, the first two batters of the inning reached, on a bunt single and an infield single. Ure\u00f1a responded with a strikeout and a double play.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought Walby pitched unbelievable,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cThe composure that he had. He got into jams, got himself out of there. Big pitches, execution. That\u2019s the kind of stuff that we were talking about earlier in the game, right? He showed tonight that he\u2019s mature. It was fun to watch him pitch tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Angels (22-36) had a decent night at the plate, too, mostly by hitting the ball the other way.<\/p>\n

Both of Zach Neto\u2019s hits went to right field. He doubled into right center and then scored the Angels\u2019 first run of the game on a Vaughn Grissom two-out single in the third. Two innings later, Neto drove in Jos\u00e9 Siri with a single into right.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryday we\u2019re trying to use the whole field,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to, at certain times, certain type of pitches, let the ball travel a little bit more, and and use the whole whole field, especially with two strikes, try to see the ball a little bit longer. The guys have been working really hard on it. Credit to them. Credit to the hitting coaches. The hitting coaches have been really emphasizing it. Credit to the players going out and doing it. It was a great collaborative effort, and it\u2019s nice to see some results.\u201d<\/p>\n

The next three runs the Angels scored were in the eighth, just after the Rays took a six-run lead. The Angels took advantage of the fact that the Rays had the margin to start the inning with Hunter Bigge, a reliever with a 5.59 ERA.<\/p>\n

The Angels loaded the bases in the ninth against Rays closer Bryan Baker. Grissom popped out to end it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Angels starting pitcher Walbert Ure\u00f1a throws to the plate during the first inning of a game against the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290531,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[24227,3817,110,202,204,203,199,201,200],"class_list":["post-290530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-st-petersburg","tag-los-angeles-angels","tag-mlb","tag-sports","tag-st-pete","tag-st-pete-headlines","tag-st-pete-news","tag-st-petersburg","tag-st-petersburg-headlines","tag-st-petersburg-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=290530"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/290530\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/290531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=290530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=290530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}