Junior Caminero homers twice, helping the Tampa Bay Rays earn a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday afternoon in Anaheim. Tampa Bay’s win spoiled a milestone day for Mike Trout, who tied a historic home run ranking but couldn’t prevent the Angels from dropping the game.

Crucial Hits Fuel Tampa Bay’s Offense

The Rays jumped ahead early, with Caminero opening the scoring in the first inning by hitting a two-run homer to left-center, bringing in Chandler Simpson who had just singled. Nick Fortes followed with a solo home run in the second inning, extending the lead to 3-0. Caminero then drilled his second home run, a 404-foot shot to center field in the third inning, pushing the Rays’ advantage to 4-0.

Mike Trout’s Record-Tying Performance

The Angels fought back quickly, evening the score at 4-4 in the third inning. Mike Trout blasted a 433-foot, three-run homer into the left-field bullpen, marking the 398th home run of his career and tying him with Dale Murphy for 61st place on the all-time home run list. This was also Trout’s 200th career home run at Anaheim Stadium, making him the first major league player to record 100 stolen bases and 200 home runs in the same venue. Luis Rengifo contributed with two hits and a run for the Angels during the game.

Later Innings and Key Relief Pitching

Christopher Morel provided the decisive blow by hitting a go-ahead home run to lead off the seventh inning, hitting the first pitch from Ryan Zeferjahn into left field for his eighth homer of the season, which put the Rays ahead 5-4. Though the Angels loaded the bases in the eighth inning with no outs, relief pitcher Griffin Jax managed to strike out the next three batters, quashing the scoring threat and preserving Tampa Bay’s lead.

Pitching Performance and Game Context

Garrett Cleavinger earned the win by pitching a scoreless inning in relief, while Pete Fairbanks sealed the victory by pitching a perfect ninth inning, securing his 19th save of the season. Starting pitcher Tyler Anderson struggled early for the Angels, allowing four runs on five hits in four innings and extending his personal streak to 19 consecutive starts without a win. Ryan Zeferjahn was tagged with the loss, dropping to 6-4 on the season. The Angels finished their 13-game homestand with a 6-7 record.

Implications for Tampa Bay and Los Angeles

This victory gave Tampa Bay its second series win since the All-Star break, showing resilience and timely hitting throughout the game. For the Angels, despite Mike Trout’s memorable day tying a major home run milestone, the team’s struggles on the mound and inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities kept them from gaining momentum during their homestand. The Rays’ balanced offense and solid bullpen play will be crucial as they continue pushing toward the postseason, while the Angels look to improve their pitching and finish the season strongly.

“Trout hit a three-run homer, the 398th of his career, moving him into a tie with Dale Murphy for 61st place on the all-time home run list. It was Trout’s 200th career homer at Anaheim Stadium, putting him in the record books as the first player in major league history to compile 100 stolen bases and 200 home runs in the same stadium.” —Field Level Media