Weaver Wins Third Straight Start For Angels

Jered Weaver struggled with more than his fastball control. The Angels right-hander also overcame humidity inside the domed Tropicana Field.

Weaver allowed two runs over six innings to win his third consecutive start and Los Angeles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Tuesday night.

"I was down in the bullpen warming up and they said the temperature is 72 degrees and I was like 'no way it's 72 degrees in here,'" Weaver said. "I was sweating. It probably got to me a little bit. I changed my shirt and jersey in about the third or fourth (inning)."

Weaver (6-2) gave up five hits, four walks and struck out six. The right-hander has been touched for four runs over 21 innings in his last three outings.

"I was able to locate my pitches when I needed to," Weaver said. "It was just one of those games where it didn't feel right and I had to battle."

Weaver's four walks were a season-high.

"It was weird," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "I know we're inside, but it seems like the humidity keeps creeping in here. He was tired. He wasn't as sharp as he's been, but he had enough to finish out the sixth."

Vladimir Guerrero had an RBI single during a two-run first. Brian Fuentes pitched the ninth, which included a game-ending double play by the speedy Carl Crawford, for his AL-best 16th save in 19 opportunties.

Guerrero hit a run-scoring single and Juan Rivera had an RBI grounder to put Los Angeles ahead 2-0 in the first. Rivera has four RBIs in last two games.

Howie Kendrick opened the fifth with an opposite-field triple off the right-field wall --î which was confirmed after a video review by the umpires -- and scored on Chone Figgins sacrifice fly that extended the Angels advantage to 3-0.

Tampa Bay got within 3-2 in the sixth on an RBI grounder by Zobrist and Matt Joyce's sacrifice fly.

Bobby Abreu ended Shields' night with an RBI double with one out in the seventh that gave the Angels a 4-2 lead.

The Rays loaded the bases -- on a pair of hit batters and an intentional walk -- against Darren Oliver in the seventh, but failed to score when Carlos Pena hit a hard liner that first baseman Kendry Morales turned into a double play.

"We were fortunate," Scioscia said. "We gave them a lot of baserunners. The ball Pena hit, obviously, was a momentum changer."
 

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