ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ Cameron Maybin apparently wants to hang on to the leadoff spot.
Maybin, who insisted that it's not coincidence that he got hot when the Angels put him at the top of the order, homered and reached base four times in the Angels' 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.
With two hits and two walks, Maybin is now 13 for 24 with seven walks since the Angels moved him to the leadoff spot last week, after the injury to Yunel Escobar.
"I think Cam has definitely given us a huge lift," Manager Mike Scioscia said before the game. "He's done a great job. He's been a real spark plug in that position."
The Angels trailed 2-1 after four innings, having wasted most of the opportunities provided by seven baserunners.
In the fifth, Maybin then produced a run the quick way, by blasting a homer off one of the catwalks suspended from the Tropicana Field roof.
Two innings later, he came to the plate with two outs and Jefry Marte at second, the game still tied. Maybin worked Jumbo Diaz for a walk, taking a borderline pitch for ball four.
Anytime Maybin draws a walk now, it's hard earned, because no pitcher wants to put him on with Mike Trout on deck. After Maybin walked, the Rays tried to get Trout to chase two pitches before they simply walked him intentionally, to load the bases.
A wild pitch then allow Marte to come home with the go-ahead run.
The Angels were then able to cling to the one-run lead through the final three innings, with David Hernandez, Jose Alvarez and Bud Norris collaborating. Norris picked up a four-out save, his third time recording a save of more than three outs.
They saved the victory for J.C. Ramirez, who now has a 3.65 ERA in his eight starts.
Ramirez gave up a pair of homers in the first inning, including the 12th of the season for Corey Dickerson, one of the year's breakout stars, and then he tightened down through the rest of his 6 2/3 innings.
That's been Ramirez's pattern. He's now allowed 10 earned runs in eight first innings, and just eight earned runs in 41 1/3 innings over the rest of his starts.
It was his third straight start pitching at least six innings. As he has done lately, he pitched to contact and kept his pitch-count manageable. He struck out five and walked one, throwing 99 pitches.
Bud Norris struck out three during a four-out save to end it.
