Rays 2 - 6 Angels
Final
  for this game

Price eyes rebound effort in finale with Angels

Sep 5, 2013 - 2:28 PM (Sports Network) - David Price tries to bounce back from his first loss in almost two months on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Rays conclude a four-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.

That may not be that difficult for the American League's reigning Cy Young Award winner, as he has won two straight starts against the Angels and has pitched to a 0.39 ERA in those outings. He's also 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in his last three starts in Anaheim.

The left-hander, though, lost for the first time in the second half on Friday in Oakland, as the Athletics reached him for four runs (3 earned) and six hits in seven innings to drop him to 8-6 on the year to go along with a 3.30 ERA.

In 12 starts since coming off the disabled list on July 12, Price has gone 7-2 with a 2.12 ERA.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, will counter with righty Jerome Williams, who hasn't earned a victory since June 12. However, he has pitched to a 2.93 ERA over his past 15 1/3 innings, spanning two starts and one relief appearance.

Williams did not receive a decision on Saturday in Milwaukee, but turned in a quality performance, allowing three runs in six innings of his team's 6-5 win. He is 5-10 on the year with a 4.68 ERA.

"Earlier part of the game, I couldn't really find the strike zone," Williams said after Saturday's start. "And then I started using my secondary pitches, and then once my sinker started working, I was fine."

Tampa won again on Wednesday, as Wil Myers belted two home runs and drove in three runs in the Rays' 3-1 triumph.

Myers' power, coupled with a solid start from the struggling Jeremy Hellickson, helped the Rays win back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 23-24.

Tampa Bay still holds a 2 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees for the AL's second wild card spot.

Hellickson (11-8) scattered four hits and two walks over 5 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his first win since July 26. The right-hander had been in the minors for a week to work on his mechanics after pitching to a 9.00 ERA over a six-start stretch.

Chris Iannetta smacked a pinch-hit home run in the seventh inning, but that was the only damage done by an Angels offense that went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Jered Weaver (9-8) served up both of Myers' home runs and was charged with three runs and six hits in seven innings of work.

"Jered threw a lot of pitches early ... and he couldn't get (past) the seventh," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Tampa was 9-1 against the Angels last season.






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