Anaheim, CA – The Tampa Bay Rays had their way with the Angels this season, the last example coming Sunday when they lit up Zack Greinke en route to an 8-3 win to complete a four-game sweep.
Matt Joyce hit a two-run single during Tampa Bay's four-run second inning, and Ryan Roberts added a two-run homer in the fifth to highlight an offense that outscored the Angels, 37-14, in the series.
Matt Moore (10-7) allowed five hits -- including two solo homers -- and two walks while striking out five in 6 1/3 innings to pick up the victory.
"It's a different game when you have early run support," Moore said. "I was able to attack with a few more fastballs. I was happy with the tempo and the way things went."
Tampa Bay took the season series, 9-1, and has won 11 of its last 13 overall.
Mike Trout and Albert Pujols each hit solo homers for the Angels, who have dropped seven of their last nine.
Greinke (1-2) was tagged for six runs on seven hits and four walks over six frames. His outing was the longest by an Angels starter in the series, as neither Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson nor Dan Haren made it past the fifth.
"They took it to us," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We have some good pitchers that are not performing to their capabilities."
A day after rallying from an 8-0 deficit, the Rays jumped in front with a four-spot in the second. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Elliot Johnson, who was plunked with a first-pitch cutter to force in the first run.
Greinke retired Desmond Jennings for the second out, but was high on a payoff pitch to B.J. Upton to push another run across.
Joyce capped the frame with a two-run single to right, and Roberts made it 6-1 in the sixth by hammering a 92-m.p.h. fastball into the Angels' bullpen beyond the left-field wall.
Moore made up for his fourth-inning gopher ball to Trout by getting the MVP candidate on an inning-ending flyout with the bases loaded in the fifth.
The rookie southpaw, who had not allowed a home run in 56 2/3 innings prior to Trout's blast, gave up another to Pujols in the sixth.
Carlos Pena chopped a double over a drawn-in infield to tack on two insurance runs in the ninth, and Erick Aybar ended the scoring with an RBI single in the bottom half.
Game Notes
The Rays finished up an 8-2 trek, tied for the second most wins on a road trip in franchise history ... This was Tampa Bay's first ever four-game sweep of the Angels .. The Rays are 36-15 in games started by a former Cy Young winner since the start of 2008 ... Moore is 5-1 in seven outings since the All-Star break ... Greinke struck out eight ... Tampa Bay heads home for a three-game series against the Royals, while the Angels have a day off before traveling to Boston for a three-game set.
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