Mike Napoli hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs and the Los Angeles Angels clubbed Jeff Niemann and the Tampa Bay Rays in a 12-3 rout Wednesday afternoon.
Dan Haren (2-4) earned the win by allowing one run on three hits in six innings with eight strikeouts and four walks.
Niemann (10-4) came off the disabled list with a strained right shoulder before the game but probably wish he hadn't. He allowed a career-high 10 runs on eight hits and lasted just 3 1/3 innings.
He was out of sorts from the start, allowing four runs in the first inning.
Hideki Matsui cleared the bases with a three-run double in the first and Napoli doubled in a run as the Rays had a four-game winning streak snapped. They momentarily fell out of a first-place tie with the New York Yankees in the American League East.
Napoli hit his slam in the third inning and also got an RBI on a bases-loaded walk.
Howie Kendrick was 5-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored and Jeff Mathis doubled in two runs for the Angels.
Tampa Bay's John Jaso homered on the second pitch of the game and also had a two-run double in the seventh.
Tampa Bay | LA Angels | |
Jeff Niemann | Player | Dan Haren |
Loss | W/L | Win |
3.1 | IP | 6.0 |
2 | Strikeouts | 8 |
8 | Hits | 3 |
27.00 | ERA | 1.50 |
Tampa Bay | LA Angels | |
John Jaso | Player | Howie Kendrick |
3 | Hits | 5 |
3 | RBI | 1 |
1 | HR | 0 |
7 | TB | 6 |
.600 | Avg | .833 |