ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 25 (UPI) -- Jeremy Hellickson limited Los Angeles to a run on five hits over six innings Wednesday, helping boost the Tampa Bay Rays over the Angels 3-2.
Albert Pujols, obtained by the Angels in the highlight free-agent signing of the off-season, extended the worst drought of his career to 0-for-19. He went hitless in three at-bats with a walk.
Tampa Bay won its fourth in a row, getting a five strikeout performance from Hellickson (3-0).
Wade Davis and Joel Peralta each gave up a hit in one inning of work and Fernando Rodney picked up his sixth save despite allowing an unearned run in the ninth.
Torii Hunter singled to open the ninth and moved around to third on a pair of ground outs. Erick Aybar then hit a grounder to second that Ben Zobrist bobbled for an error, allowing Hunter to score.
With the tying run on first, Rodney got pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspo on a fly ball to left to end the game.
Zobrist opened the scoring with a solo homer in the third and Jeff Keppinger had an RBI double later in that inning. Brandon Allen drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth for what turned out to be the winning run.
Vernon Wells hit a fourth-inning homer for the Angels.
C.J. Wilson (2-2) struck out 11 over seven innings, but suffered the hard-luck loss while giving up two runs on six hits.