Major League Baseball

Hamilton goes deep but is also hurt as Angels edge Rays

Published Aug. 1, 2014 11:04 p.m. ET

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The Los Angeles Angels powered their way to a victory.

Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton homered to help the Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 on Friday night.

Trout hit his 25th homer of the season, a two-run shot off Jeremy Hellickson (0-1) during a three-run first that put the Angels up 3-0.

''We're getting our timing back,'' Trout said. ''A good win tonight for sure.''

Los Angeles went ahead 4-1 on Hamilton's solo homer in the third. The slugger was hit by Jeff Beliveau's pitch in the seventh inning and has a bruised left middle finger.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Hamilton's finger was a little sore and isn't sure if he will play Saturday.

After Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Huston Street, the closer got his fifth save since being acquired from San Diego on July 18 by striking out Desmond Jennings and Ben Zobrist, and getting Matt Joyce on a pop fly. Zobrist had a potential extra-base hit go foul down the right field line.

''You know it's a matter of time before he starts making pitches,'' Scioscia said. ''That's a tough group to go through. He got it done.''

This was the Rays' first game since trading ace David Price to Detroit as part of a three-team deal Thursday. Tampa Bay received Tigers left-hander Drew Smyly and two minor leaguers.

''There are no moral victories,'' Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. ''That's a game we should not have permitted to get away.''

Albert Pujols tied Chipper Jones for 25th place on the career list with his 549th double in the first and scored on Erick Aybar's single. Matt Shoemaker (9-3) allowed three runs and eight hits over five innings.

Tampa Bay got within 4-3 in the fifth on Evan Longoria's infield single. A second run scored on a throwing error by third baseman David Freese. Longoria was thrown out attempting to advance to second after colliding with first base umpire Larry Vanover.

The Angels took a 5-3 lead on a sixth-inning run-scoring double by Chris Iannetta.

Hellickson gave up four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander, coming back from right elbow surgery in January, has gone less than five innings in all three of his starts this season.

Tampa Bay's Cole Figueroa hit a second-inning sacrifice fly.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: Tyler Skaggs was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left forearm strain. Scioscia says the left-hander might miss ''a little bit of time.''

Rays: Right fielder Wil Myers, out since May 31 with a broken right wrist, took batting practice in an indoor cage for the first time. Catcher Ryan Hanigan, out with a strained left oblique, will join Single-A Charlotte on Saturday.

ON DECK

Angels: Left-hander C.J. Wilson (8-6) is scheduled to return from the disabled list to start Saturday night. He went on the DL July 10 with a sprained right ankle

Rays: Right-hander Chris Archer (8-6) is looking Saturday night to extend a stretch of going six or more innings in 10 of 12 starts.

LATE NIGHT

The Angels arrived at their hotel just after 4 a.m. following a 1-0, 13-inning win Thursday night at Baltimore that took 4:33. Friday's game lasted 3:39.

GUMBY MISSES OUT

The Rays are giving away a Maddon ''Mr. Potato Head'' on Saturday. Maddon is hopeful that there will be another promotion featuring his favorite character ''Gumby'' in the future.

LAST WORD

''Everybody realizes it's part of the gig. People get traded. We're definitely going to miss him.'' Joyce on the Price trade.

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