Anaheim, CA – Jeremy Hellickson combined with three other pitchers in a four-hit shutout, as the Tampa Bay Rays took a 2-0 win over the LA Angels of Anaheim to spoil Zack Greinke's debut in the finale of a three- game set.
Hellickson (6-6) gave up two hits with five strikeouts over five innings, Kyle Farnsworth and Joel Peralta each worked a perfect inning and Fernando Rodney worked a scoreless ninth for his 30th save.
"He was outstanding for us today," said Tampa manager Joe Maddon about Hellickson. "I liked how aggressive he was with his fastball. I took him out because he was sick pretty much from the start. He did a great job today."
Matt Joyce drove in a run while Sam Fuld and Carlos Pena each scored for the Rays, who shut out the Angels in the final two games of this series.
Zack Greinke (0-1) made his debut for the Angels on Sunday and pitched well, giving up just two runs on seven hits with a walk and eight strikeouts over seven innings of work. He was acquired on Friday from Milwaukee for shortstop Jean Segura and pitchers Ariel Pena and Johnny Hellweg.
"My fastball command could have been better," said Greinke. "I made a lot of good pitches and some bad ones too. Everything happened pretty fast, with the traveling and meeting people. But once you're on the mound, it's all the same stuff."
Hellickson retired the first nine batters he faced before Maicer Izturis led off the fourth with a single. Howie Kendrick sacrificed him to second, but Hellickson struck out Albert Pujols and got Mark Trumbo to ground out.
Tampa didn't get a runner past second through the first five innings, but was able to get one across home in the sixth.
Elliot Johnson led off with a double, but was later caught in a run down off a Fuld grounder. Ben Zobrist, though, then singled and Joyce followed with a base hit to score Fuld for a 1-0 lead.
In the seventh, the Rays gave themselves some breathing room as Pena led off with a double, moved to third on a Ryan Roberts groundout then came home on a wild pitch from Greinke.
Rodney got the first out of the ninth, but then allowed singles to Izturis and Kendrick. However, he got Pujols to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.
Game Notes
Angels outfielder Mike Trout was out with a left knee contusion. He is listed as day-to-day...Hellickson won his second straight start and is now 2-1 in four games against the Angels in his career...Tampa has won eight of nine against the Angels...Greinke fell to 2-5 in 13 games against the Rays...The Angels start a four-game set in Texas on Monday...Tampa continues its nine- game road trip in Oakland on Monday.
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