Angels starting pitcher José Soriano stands on home plate after the Tampa Bay Rays scored two runs on a wild pitch during the first inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell watches the flight of his solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher José Soriano throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ Yandy Díaz, right, scores following a wild pitch by Angels starting pitcher José Soriano, left, during the first inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels starting pitcher José Soriano stands on home plate after the Tampa Bay Rays scored two runs on a wild pitch during the first inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels star Mike Trout gestures after a swinging strike during the first inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels star Mike Trout stands in the dugout during the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Tampa Bay Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt can’t reach a foul ball hit by the Angels’ Mickey Moniak during the first inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels starting pitcher José Soriano throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ José Caballero hits a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ José Caballero crosses the plate after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ José Caballero celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays center fielder Jose Siri, right, catches a fly hit by the Angels’ Zach Neto as shortstop José Caballero watches during the second inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell throws to first baseman Yandy Díaz, not pictured, for an out on the Angels’ Jo Adell during the second inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels starting pitcher José Soriano throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena loses his grip on the bat on strike three during the third inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell throws to the plate during the first inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels star Mike Trout hits a double during the third inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels star Mike Trout runs after hitting a double during the third inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels star Mike Trout, right, reaches second base past Tampa Bay Rays shortstop José Caballero after hitting a double during the third inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ Harold Ramírez eats a popsicle in the dugout during the third inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Tampa Bay Rays’ Richie Palacios runs after hitting a single during the fifth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels star Mike Trout runs after hitting a single during the fifth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels star Mike Trout gestures after reaching second base on a single by Taylor Ward during the fifth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Taylor Ward looks on from the dugout during their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell hits a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Jo Adell, left, celebrates with third base coach Eric Young Sr. as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Angels’ Jo Adell, center, is congratulated by teammate Mike Trout, left, and Manager Ron Washington, right, as he returns to the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell is tagged out by the Tampa Bay Rays’ José Caballero at second base after he overran the bag on a stolen base attempt during the eighth inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell hangs his head after being tagged out by the Tampa Bay Rays’ José Caballero at second base after he overran the bag on a stolen base attempt during the eighth inning on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
The Angels’ Jo Adell looks on from the dugout during their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Jason Adam throws to the plate during the eighth inning of their game against the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Angels manager Ron Washington yells from the dugout as he complains about the calls of the home plate umpire during the ninth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Angels star Mike Trout waits on deck during the ninth inning of their game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks, right, is congratulated by catcher Ben Rortvedt after the final out of the ninth inning of their victory over the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
From left, Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Randy Arozarena, center fielder Jose Siric and right fielder Richie Palacios celebrate after their 4-2 victory over the Angels on Wednesday afternoon at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM — Try as they might, the Angels couldn’t catch a break on a getaway day.
José Soriano gave up three runs without having a ball leave the outfield in the first inning. Jo Adell overran the bag on what should have been a stolen base as they tried to mount a late comeback. And the way the strike zone was called left something to be desired for Manager Ron Washington.
Put it all together, and the Angels dropped their second straight game to the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-2, on Wednesday afternoon.
The indications it was going to be one of those outings were immediate as Soriano gave up three straight singles up the middle to start the game, followed by a wild pitch that allowed two runs to score when catcher Matt Thaiss couldn’t find the ball in a timely manner. A sacrifice fly followed to put the Angels in a 3-0 hole.
“Some really bad luck” was how Thaiss described the sequence for Soriano. “Three balls that didn’t leave the infield and let up three runs,” Thaiss added.
After José Caballero cracked a solo homer to left field to start the second inning, Soriano was adequate from that point on, but the damage had already been done. He gave up six hits in total while striking out six in four innings of work.
Soriano, a 25-year-old from the Dominican Republic, had been moved into a starting role after right-hander Chase Silseth came out of his last start with elbow inflammation, leading to a stint on the 15-day injury list. Soriano had made his first 40 major league appearances coming out of the bullpen.
“Seeing the results and stuff, hopefully be back in three weeks,” Silseth said before the game Wednesday morning. “You never know. Just gonna go in there and try to get the swelling and inflammation down and go from there.”
The Angels’ bats started out as poorly as Soriano had fared, failing to capitalize in the bottom of the first after drawing three straight walks against Zack Littell. Miguel Sanó and Brandon Drury each struck out swinging to end the inning and leaving the bases loaded.
They finally got on the board in the fourth when Zach Neto doubled to drive in Thaiss.
Adell cut it to 4-2 in the sixth with a solo shot to right-center for his first of the season. He got back on base with a single in the eighth, only to get tagged out when choosing not to slide on his stolen base attempt and ending the inning, leaving Washington blunt in his assessment of the decision.
“Hopefully that will never happen again because when you actually look at it, it was embarrassing to all of us,” he said. “I know Jo didn’t mean that in that manner, but we’re down 4-2, and it was a teaching moment.”
The Angels had one last chance to tie it up in the ninth, but Mickey Moniak struck out with a runner on second base and Mike Trout on deck to end the game. Moniak and Washington were visibly furious about two called strikes earlier in the at-bat, with Washington stepping onto the field to voice his displeasure.
There had also been the matter of a called third strike against Thaiss to lead off the inning, which went into a list of grievances topped by a low inside pitch called a strike when Luis Rengifo had a full count in the first.
Seemingly unafraid of consequences to his pocket book, Washington took aim at umpire Doug Eddings.
“When you got two strikes, you got to try to battle,” Washington said. “But I do think in that ninth inning, he must have had a flight that he was missing, because that’s exactly the way he called the game. He called that game like he had somewhere to go. Didn’t take into account that we fighting to try to win a game. I thought he had somewhere to go ’cause that was ridiculous.”
