Angels can’t capitalize on chances, lose to Rays, 10-3

KEY MOMENT: The Angels had two chances to cut into a 6-3 deficit, but Kole Calhoun struck out looking at a chest-high fastball with runners on second and third to end the fourth inning, and Howie Kendrick and David Freese struck out with two on to end the eighth.

AT THE PLATE: Albert Pujols sparked a three-run fourth with a bloop single. Erick Aybar walked, Kendrick hit a run-scoring double to right, Freese hit an RBI groundout, and Hank Conger hit an RBI double to right before Calhoun struck out.

ON THE MOUND: Left-hander Michael Roth gave the Angels a chance to mount a comeback, blanking the Rays on two hits through 31/3 innings before tiring in the eighth, when he gave up four runs and five hits, including Logan Forsythe’s leadoff homer, Ben Zobrist’s RBI double and Matt Joyce’s RBI single. “He did a great job,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “To get only four outs from your starter and still not have to go through most of your bullpen, that was big for us.”

ROSTER MOVE: Josh Hamilton, who bruised the middle finger of his left hand when he was hit by a pitch Friday, felt good enough swinging and throwing that he started in left field Saturday. That, combined with a bullpen that threw 121/3 innings Thursday and Friday and outfielder Collin Cowgill’s anticipated return from a broken nose, prompted the Angels to send outfielder J.B. Shuck to triple A to clear room for pitcher C.J. Wilson.

CLAIM CHECK: The Angels claimed infielder Ryan Wheeler, 26, off waivers from Colorado and assigned him to triple-A Salt Lake. The former Torrance High School and Loyola Marymount standout hit .232 in 31 games for the Rockies this season. He was a fifth-round pick of Arizona in 2009, when Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto was vice president of player personnel for the Diamondbacks.

EXTRA BASES: Mike Trout’s stolen base in the fifth was only his 11th of the season and first since June 24, snapping a career-long 33-game stolen-base drought.

UP NEXT: Right-hander Jered Weaver (11-6, 3.62 earned-run average) will oppose Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi (7-8, 3.80) at Tropicana Field on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. PDT. On the air: TV: FS West, TBS. Radio: 830.