Ryan Pepiot pitches 6 strong innings as Rays beat Angels 2-1

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Ryan Pepiot allowed one run and three hits in six strong innings, Amed Rosario hit an RBI triple in Tampa Bay's two-run first and the Rays beat the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 on Thursday to split their four-game series.

Pepiot (2-2) struck out seven and walked three after having some stomach issues before the game. He was acquired in a trade in which Rays ace Tyler Glasnow was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Pretty strong performance,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “I didn't think he felt that well going into the game. It's amazing how sometimes people find out they got that extra gear. He certainly pushed it.”

Pepiot felt physically fine on the mound, but a little tired.

“I was going to take the ball no matter what,” he insisted.

Colin Poche, the third Rays reliever, worked out of a jam with two on and two outs in the ninth for his second save in three chances. Struggling closer Pete Fairbanks, who has a 9.00 ERA, pitched in the previous two games.

Rosario extended his hitting streak to 10 games with his RBI triple that made it 1-0 in the Rays’ opening inning against Griffin Canning (0-3). He has nine RBIs over the stretch.

Harold Ramírez's sacrifice fly to right drove in Rosario to make it 2-0.

The Angels got within 2-1 in the sixth when Mike Trout walked, stole second and third and scored on Miguel Sanó's sacrifice fly. Trout has five steals this year after having just a combined six over the previous four seasons. It was his 23rd multisteal game, and first since July 23, 2018.

“That’s what he does," Angels manager Ron Washington said. “That’s a part of his game. It’s a part of his skill set. It doesn’t always have to be where you hit balls out of the ballpark.”

Canning allowed two runs and four hits over 5 1/3 innings. His ERA decreased to 8.05 from 9.88.

Cash said before the game he is sticking with Fairbanks (0-2, 9.00 ERA) as his closer. The right-hander allowed five consecutive batters to reach in blowing a save Wednesday night and has given up eight runs — seven earned — in eight games.

“I’m confident he’s going to right himself and we’re going to be appreciating giving him the ball with one-run leads here soon,” Cash said.

Slumping 2023 AL All-Star Randy Arozarena was out of the Rays' starting lineup and popped out as pinch hitter in the eighth. The Rays left fielder hit .127 (7 for 55) with no homers and three RBIs in his previous 14 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rays: OF Josh Lowe, sidelined since the start of the season with a right oblique strain, is starting a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham. He hit .292 with 20 homers, 83 RBIs, and stole 32 bases last season.

UP NEXT

Angels: LHP Tyler Alexander (2-1, 1.47 ERA) will start Friday night at Cincinnati.

Rays: Will face New York Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (1-0, 3.68 ERA) on Friday night. Tampa Bay had not announced its starter.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Colin Poche, right, celebrates with catcher Rene Pinto after closing out the Los Angeles Angels during a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Rays beat the Angels 2-1. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout (27) scores behind Tampa Bay Rays catcher Rene Pinto on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Sano off starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Jose Caballero forces Los Angeles Angels' Miguel Sano (22) at second base and relays the throw to first to turn a double play on Mickey Moniak during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Amed Rosario slides past Los Angeles Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon with an RBI triple during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. Rays' Richie Palacios scored on the play. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios (1) dives back safely ahead of the pickoff throw to Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning delivers to the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Curtis Mead, of Australia, fields a ground ball hit by Los Angeles Angels' Taylor Ward before throwing him out at first during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Amed Rosario, left, and shortstop Jose Caballero celebrate after the team defeated the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 in a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Richie Palacios races home to score on an RBI triple by Amed Rosario off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Griffin Canning during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot delivers to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, April 18, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States on Wednesday imposed new sanctions on hundreds of companies and people tied to Russia's weapons development program, more than a dozen Chinese entities accused of helping Moscow find workarounds to earlier penalties, and individuals linked to the death of Kremlin opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The actions by the departments of Treasury and State target Russia’s military-industrial base, chemical weapons programs and people and companies in third countries that help Russia acquire weapons components as its invasion of Ukraine has entered its third year.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the action “will further disrupt and degrade Russia’s war efforts by going after its military industrial base and the evasion networks that help supply it.”

The Senate, meanwhile, gave final approval to legislation barring imports of Russian uranium, boosting U.S. efforts to disrupt Russia’s war in Ukraine. Democratic President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill into law.

About 12% of the uranium used to produce electricity at U.S. nuclear power plants is imported from Russia, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

A spokesperson for the National Security Council said Wednesday that Biden shares lawmakers’ concerns about U.S. reliance on Russia for low-enriched uranium to support its domestic nuclear fleet.

Included in the administration's announcement are importers of cotton cellulose and nitrocellulose, which are used to produce gunpowder, rocket propellants and other explosives. The penalties also target Russian government entities and people tied to Russia's chemical and biological weapons programs, companies related to Russia's natural gas construction projects and three workers at the penal colony where Navalny died.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has railed against earlier rounds of U.S. and Western penalties, claiming they are “illegitimate sanctions” on his country.

A group of 16 targets in China and Hong Kong, most of which are related to Russian procurement workarounds, are named by the Biden administration.

Yellen traveled to Guangzhou and Beijing last month to warn Chinese officials that they “must not provide material support for Russia’s war and that they will face significant consequences if they do."

China has said it is not providing Russia with arms or military assistance, although Beijing has maintained robust economic connections with Moscow, alongside India and other countries, as the West imposes sanctions.

Companies in China, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Slovakia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates were accused of helping Russia acquire technology and equipment from abroad. The penalties aim to block them from using the U.S. financial system and bar American citizens from dealing with them.

Biden last week said he would immediately rush badly needed weaponry to Ukraine as he signed into law a $95 billion war aid measure that also included assistance for Israel, Taiwan and other global hot spots.

The upcoming uranium ban is also expected to impact Russian revenues by at least $1 billion. The U.S. banned Russian oil imports after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022 but did not against uranium, despite frequent calls to do so by U.S. lawmakers in both parties.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, called the import ban “a tremendous victory” and said it “will help defund Russia’s war machine, revive American uranium production and jumpstart investments in America’s nuclear fuel supply chain.″

“Wyoming has the uranium to replace Russian imports, and we’re ready to use it,″ Barrasso added.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat who heads that Senate committee, said it was "unconscionable” for the U.S. to help make it possible for Putin to “finance his unlawful war against Ukraine” through U.S. reliance on Russian uranium.

Besides the import ban, the legislation frees up $2.7 billion in previously authorized funding to ramp up domestic uranium production.

FILE- This June 6, 2019, file photo shows the U.S. Treasury Department building at dusk in Washington. The United States has imposed new sanctions on hundreds of firms and people tied to Russia’s weapons development program, more than a dozen Chinese firms accused of helping Russia find workarounds to sanctions and individuals tied to the death of Russian dissident Alexey Navalny. The sanctions imposed Wednesday by the Treasury and State departments target Russia’s military-industrial base, chemical weapons programs and people and firms in third countries that help Russia acquire weapons components as its invasion of Ukraine has entered its third year. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)