Rays defeat slumping Angels 5-1

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Justin Ruggiano took a look at the lineup card, didn't see see his name and headed into the weight room for a full workout. When he came out, he was in the lineup.

With a stomach bug sweeping through Tampa Bay's clubhouse, Ruggiano powered the Rays' offense by homering and driving in three runs while David Price took a shutout into the eighth inning of a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.

"We got a bunch of sick people," Rays manager Joe Maddon said, noting Reid Brignac and Sean Rodriguez weren't feeling well during the game.

Ruggiano started for just the fourth time this season, having much of his time in Triple-A, where he was batting .308 for Durham.

He came into the game hitting .083 in the majors.

"It is tough but I have to do more than everyone else does because they're getting every day at-bats," said Ruggiano, who homered for just the fourth time in the majors.

Price (7-5) allowed five hits and one run in seven-plus innings, struck out seven and walked none. The left-hander struck out the side in the fifth.

"Whenever we have some of our big players out, you know you got to step up," he said, explaining that he has avoided getting sick by staying away from his teammates. "It's fun to pitch against these guys. They embarrassed me last time, so it was good to get one back."

The Rays took a 2-0 lead in the first on Matt Joyce's sacrifice fly and Ruggiano's RBI single.

Ruggiano hit his second homer of the season to extend the Rays' lead to 4-0. He sent a 3-2 pitch from Tyler Chatwood into the Rays' bullpen in left field.

"I wanted to challenge him and not walk him, so I just went after him," Chatwood said. "It ran over the plate a little bit and he connected."

Joyce's RBI single in the seventh made it 5-0.

Chatwood (3-3) gave up nine hits and five runs in seven innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked one for the Angels, who have lost five of their last six. They have been limited to three runs or less in 17 of their last 30 games, including each of the last six.

"I've got no comments on the offense," Howie Kendrick said. "Everybody's trying to do their job."

Jeff Mathis' RBI single in the eighth drove in the Angels' run and chased Price.

"After those first two guys got on, it looked like he was running out of gas," Maddon said.

NOTES: Rays 3B Evan Longoria sat out because of the flu bug. ... Angels RF Torii Hunter doubled in the fourth, snapping an 0-for-18 skid. ... The Angels had their first pregame closed-door meeting of the season. "Total pep talk," manager Mike Scioscia said. "There are some guys in that room who are frustrated." ... Maddon caught the first pitch from former Angel Rick Reichardt as part of the team honoring its alumni before each home game. Maddon was a coach under Scioscia before going to the Rays.