• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Aybar helps Rays rally past Angels

Aug 20, 2008 - 2:57 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Since replacing All-Star Evan Longoria at third base, all Willy Aybar has done is perform like an All-Star. Tuesday was yet another example.

Aybar's two-run, two-out single in the eighth inning rallied the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Tuesday night.

Aybar's two-run single off reliever Darren Oliver capped a three-run eighth inning and improved the Rays to a major league-best 77-48.

The Angels lost their third consecutive game for the first time since June 25-28.

"One inning got away from us," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We cracked the door open for them with the error and the walks and Aybar got the big hit for them. So we didn't get it done."

Since Longoria went on the disabled list August 8, Aybar is hitting .364 in 11 starts with three home runs and nine RBI.

"It was a good at bat," Aybar said. "I was looking for a good pitch over the plate. I just put the ball in play."

After Ervin Santana limited the Rays to four hits through seven innings, Scott Shields (5-4) walked Gabe Gross on four pitches to lead off the eighth.

Jason Bartlett followed with a sacrifice bunt, but catcher Jeff Mathis threw the ball into right field, advancing the runners to second and third. Shields walked Akinori Iwamura to load the bases and left after striking out B.J. Upton.

"I just couldn't throw the ball over the plate," Shields said. "I just couldn't get the ball anywhere near the strike zone. You've got to turn the page. Tomorrow is a new day."

Oliver promptly walked Carlos Pena, making it 2-2. After striking out Cliff Floyd, Aybar delivered a single to left field for the Rays, who are a major league-best 47-17 at home.

"We set the table for them, cracked it open further with an error and capped it off with a hit," Scioscia said. "That's about all you can say about it. We just didn't get it done late."

James Shields (11-7) improved to 8-1 at home, allowing nine hits and two runs in eight innings. He struck out seven and walked one. Dan Wheeler pitched a perfect ninth for his seventh save.

"That's what I've been doing all season and I think that's my job," James Shields said. "I definitely put that on the defense. The defense won that game."

The Angels, who own the majors' best road record at 37-24, wasted a solid performance from Santana, whose nine strikeouts were two off his career high.

"Ervin Santana was unbelievable," Upton said.

The righthander didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning. By then, the Angels had scored their runs on Vladimir Guerrero's second-inning homer and Garret Anderson's RBI double in the fourth.

Anderson's double extended his hitting streak to 22 games.

Santana struck out five of the first six batters and retired the first 11 batters until walking Pena in the fourth. He didn't allow a hit until Gross' one-out double in the sixth.

"This game was unbelievable," Pena said. "It's just been amazing."

Tampa Bay cut the deficit to 2-1 in the sixth. With one out and runners on second and third, Upton had an RBI single, but first base umpire Jerry Meals ruled Upton turned toward second and Upton was tagged out before returning to first.

Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected by Meals after arguing the call.

"It's unconscionable," Maddon said. "It can't happen. There's no room for that. That call can't happen. It's a fabricated call. It's in a crucial part of the game in a pennant hunt. To make something up is wrong and then to be validated by the crew chief really got me upset."

Meals was not made available for comment.

"He (Upton) made an attempt to run to second base," crew chief Gary Darling said. "Little jab step and a shoulder. I've called guys out for less."