ANAHEIM (Interstat) — José Soriano pitched five scoreless innings and the Los Angeles Angels broke open a tight game with a three-run sixth inning and a four-run seventh to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-0 on Saturday at Angel Stadium.

Soriano, who entered with a 7-4 record, allowed three hits, walked one and struck out five. He lowered his earned run average on the season and earned his eighth victory. The right-hander worked out of early trouble, stranding a runner at third base in the first inning and another at second in the third.

Griffin Jax started for Tampa Bay and matched Soriano through four innings, allowing one unearned run on a fielding error. Jax gave up five hits and struck out five over five innings, but the lack of run support and the defensive lapse saddled him with his fifth loss against one win.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth. Jo Adell ripped a double to left field for his 10th two-bagger of the season. Nolan Schanuel then hit a ground ball to shortstop Taylor Walls, who booted the play, allowing Adell to score from second. The error was Walls’ sixth of the season.

The Angels added to their lead in the sixth. After Jose Siri struck out to start the inning, Adell singled sharply to left, deflected by Walls, and Schanuel followed with a line drive single to center. Oswald Peraza struck out for the second out, but Denzer Guzman lined a single to center that scored Adell and Schanuel, making it 3-0. Donovan Walton then doubled down the right-field line to drive in Guzman, stretching the lead to 4-0.

The outburst continued in the seventh. Zach Neto opened the inning with a single, and Mike Trout struck out. Jose Siri, pinch-hitting for Wade Meckler, crushed a 1-1 pitch over the center-field fence for a two-run homer, his third of the year, scoring Neto. Adell followed with another single, his fourth hit of the game, and Schanuel walked. After Peraza struck out, Guzman singled to left, scoring Adell and moving Schanuel to third. Walton then singled to right, plating Schanuel and sending Guzman to third. Logan O’Hoppe struck out to end the inning, but the Angels led 8-0.

Tampa Bay’s offense never found a rhythm. The Rays managed five hits total. Cedric Mullins singled twice, Chandler Simpson singled, Taylor Walls singled, and Junior Caminero singled in the eighth. The Rays had opportunities early: in the first, Yandy Diaz walked and moved to third on a pair of groundouts, but Caminero struck out. In the fourth, Mullins and Simpson singled with one out, but Richie Palacios and Victor Mesa Jr. struck out and grounded out, respectively. In the fifth, Walls singled but was erased on a double play.

Soriano exited after five innings, having thrown 81 pitches. Sami Natera Jr. followed with two perfect innings, striking out two. Kirby Yates pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out one. Brent Suter worked the ninth, allowing two hits but no runs.

Adell led the Angels’ 15-hit attack with four hits, including a double. Walton went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a double. Guzman drove in three runs on two hits. Mike Trout singled in the first inning but was otherwise held in check.

For the Rays, Cam Booser relieved Jax and pitched one and one-third scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. The Rays’ bullpen combined for three and two-thirds innings of one-hit relief, but the deficit was too large.

The attendance was 34,030, and the game took 2 hours, 37 minutes.

The victory evened the four-game series at one win apiece. The Angels won Friday’s opener 4-3. Tampa Bay had won four of its previous six games entering Saturday, including a three-game sweep of Boston earlier in the week. The Angels had split a two-game interleague series with the Los Angeles Dodgers before this series.

Tampa Bay remained atop the American League East with a 40-27 record. The Angels improved to 29-42, still last in the AL West.

The teams conclude the series Sunday at Angel Stadium. Tampa Bay then travels to face the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games starting Monday, followed by a six-game homestand against Washington and Kansas City. The Angels head to Arizona for three games against the Diamondbacks beginning Monday, then travel to for a four-game set.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Tampa Bay Rays 5, Los Angeles Angels 4. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Tampa Bay with a 59.00 percent probability to win. Tampa Bay had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5.