Player of the gameShane McClanahanTBA5.0ip 4h 1er 3k
After a rough week, at least by the standard they’ve set this season, the Rays finished the month of May looking a lot more like themselves in a 5-2 win over the Angels on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field. Shane McClanahan put together another strong start, with help from some occasionally spectacular defense. The bullpen held a lead. Jonathan Aranda launched a first-inning homer and remained as hot as any hitter in baseball, while the rest of the lineup scratched across runs however they could find them. And after being swept for the first time this season in Baltimore, the Rays bounced back from Saturday’s lopsided loss to secure their sixth straight series victory inside their home dome. “We played more like ourselves,” McClanahan said. “I think one thing this clubhouse did a really good job of was not getting too high, not getting too low. So, to be able to respond the way we did this series was good.” Sunday was only the Rays’ second victory in their past seven games, but shortstop Taylor Walls noted the situation hasn’t been as dire as it occasionally felt. They split a series at Yankee Stadium last weekend, then lost one in Baltimore and won this three-game set against the Angels. They still have the best record in the American League at 36-20. They’ve still won 12 of the 19 series they’ve played this season. And they’re still capable of winning games with full-squad efforts the way they did Sunday. “This is a step forward, I think,” Walls said. “Carry that over into tomorrow, and we'll be good.” McClanahan and Aranda set the tone for Sunday’s win, which felt fitting considering how dominant they were throughout the past month.
