Rengifo lifts Angels over Rays 4-3; Tampa Bay loses 5th straight in opener of 13-game homestand

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Luis Rengifo hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and the Los Angeles Angels rallied to beat Tampa Bay 4-3 Tuesday night, extending the Rays’ losing streak to five in the opener of a 13-game homestand.

Kenley Jansen allowed singles to Jake Mangum and Taylor Walls starting the ninth but escaped a second-and-third, no-outs jam for his third save. Yandy Díaz grounded to Rengifo, who threw out Mangum at the plate from third, and Jansen struck out Brandon Lowe and José Caballero to seal the Angels’ third straight win.

Tampa Bay drew 10,046 in its seventh sellout at Steinbrenner Field but dropped to 4-3 at its temporary home, the Yankees spring training ballpark.

This series originally was scheduled for Anaheim but Major League Baseball rearranged the schedule to have the Rays play 19 of their first 22 games at home in an attempt to lessen the impact of summer storms at the open-air ballpark. The Rays’ usual home, Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, has a dome that was damaged by Hurricane Milton last October.

The Rays went 2 for 13 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine runners, including seven in the last three innings. Pete Fairbanks (1-1) was the loser.

Tampa Bay’s Kameron Misner was hit on the helmet by a 98.8 mph pitch from Brock Burke (2-0) in the eighth but stayed in the game.

Anaheim's Kyren Paris hit his third homer this seasons, a two-run drive off Shane Baz, with a video review upholding there was no fan interference.

Junior Caminero’s homer off Ben Joyce started a three-run seventh that overcame a 2-0 deficit. Christopher Morel hit a tying double and scored on Misner’s triple.

Travis d’Arnaud hit a tying RBI grounder in the eighth.

Morel was ejected by plate umpire Rob Drake after a called strike in the eighth. He had words with the umpire and slammed his bat.

Jansen went 0 for 4, grounding into a double play, and is 1 for 24 in his first season with Tampa Bay.

Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 4.50 ERA) and Rays RHP starter Ryan Pepiot (0-1) Wednesday.

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

Los Angeles Angels' Luis Rengifo celebrates his RBI single off Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels' Kevin Newman (10) scores behind Tampa Bay Rays catcher Danny Jansen on an RBI single by Luis Rengifo during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Pete Fairbanks reacts after giving up a go-ahead run to the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels catcher Travis d'Arnaud (25) tags out Tampa Bay Rays' Jake Mangum (28) as he tries to score on a fielder's choice by Yandy Díaz during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Christopher Morel, center, slams his bat after striking out against Los Angeles Angels pitcher Brock Burke during the eighth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels catcher Travis d'Arnaud (25) tags out Tampa Bay Rays' Kameron Misner while trying to score on a fielder's choice by Jake Mangum during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Christopher Morel celebrates after scoring on an RBi triple by Kameron Misner off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ben Joyce during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Kameron Misner runs after his RBi triple off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ben Joyce during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Christopher Morel reacts after his RBI double off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ben Joyce during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero reacts after his solo home run off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ben Joyce during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels' Kyren Paris heads for first base after drawing a walk from Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane Baz during the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) reacts after closing out the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jauan Jennings hid his eyes behind sunglasses, but could not hide his emotions with the San Francisco 49ers set to play an NFC postseason rubber match in Seattle.

The 49ers wideout-turned-backup quarterback slammed his fists on the table and essentially told the Seahawks to bring it on. He leaned into the microphone and yelled, “CAN'T WAIT!” before he walked off with a knowing smile that perhaps the best in San Francisco was yet to come.

The 49ers are in for a playoff treat, thanks in large part to a pretty neat trick pulled off by Jennings.

Brock Purdy threw a go-ahead 6-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey late in the fourth quarter, San Francisco used a trick play on a TD toss from Jennings to McCaffrey, and the 49ers eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles with a 23-19 wild-card victory Sunday.

“We went to the Super Bowl,” Jennings said. “So, we’ve got to top that.”

Maybe if the Eagles watched that 49ers' Super Bowl loss to Kansas City after the 2023 season, they wouldn't have been so caught by surprise by the play. A former high school quarterback, Jennings threw a TD pass on a similar play in the Super Bowl and this one to McCaffrey put him on a list with Purdy, Joe Montana and Steve Young as 49ers QBs who have thrown for multiple career touchdowns in the postseason.

How's that for heady company?

The play was called “Skyy Bang reverse pass” — in honor of wide receiver Skyy Moore — and the double reverse was suggested by offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak.

“It was a hell of suggestion,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.

The not-so Philly special was quite a way to put a dagger in the Super Bowl champs' season.

The 49ers head to top-seeded Seattle next weekend for an NFC divisional playoff game. The NFC West rivals split the season series. BetMGM put the Seahawks as early 6 1/2-point favorites.

Purdy threw for 262 yards and got the road win in Philadelphia he failed to get three seasons ago when he was injured in a dismal outing in Philadelphia in a loss in the NFC title game.

Purdy had two passes intercepted in this one by All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, but the Eagles scored just three points off the turnovers.

The 49ers could head to Seattle without star tight end George Kittle, who was carted off the field with a right Achilles tendon injury late in the first half.

The Eagles — who won a Super Bowl on a trick play — were foiled by one when Jennings was pitched the ball and rolled right and hit McCaffrey for an over-the-shoulder catch and a 29-yard touchdown. The score on the first play of the fourth quarter gave the 49ers a 17-16 lead.

“I looked up, the ball’s in the air and Christian tracked it," Purdy said. ”It was wobbling in the wind. The fact that Christian caught it over his shoulder, dude, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.'"

Jennings had 66 yards receiving and 48 rushing in addition to his TD pass.

“JJ thinks he can make every play known to man,” Shanahan said.

The Eagles would only get Jake Elliott's 33-yard field goal in the quarter for a brief 19-17 lead.

Philadelphia was again doomed by a lethargic offensive effort under embattled offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo that cost it a shot at a repeat championship. Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts threw for only 168 yards and a touchdown and the Eagles failed to build off a 13-10 halftime lead by totaling only 36 total yards in the third quarter on 16 plays.

Hurts was incomplete on a last-gasp fourth-and-11 attempt with 43 seconds left that ended their final drive.

“I just didn’t make the play,' Hurts said. ”I own it. I own it all.”

The game never reached its offensive slugfest potential after the teams traded touchdowns on their opening drives.

Purdy, rendered ineffective by a torn ligament in his right elbow on the opening drive against the Eagles in a disastrous NFC title game loss three seasons ago, completed all three passes for 74 yards and capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Demarcus Robinson.

The Eagles tied it on a 1-yard sweep by Dallas Goedert, their red zone go-to ace with 11 TD receptions who became the first tight end to rush for a score in NFL postseason history.

The Eagles turned again to Goedert on fourth down when Hurts hit him for a 9-yard TD that made it 13-7.

Eddy Pineiro kicked a 36-yarder for the 49ers that cut it to 13-10 at halftime.

The 49ers took it from there and hope to pull off their second road win of the season in Seattle.

“It’s just cool for everybody across the board to be able to have this kind of win and celebrate all the stuff that we’ve been through,” Purdy said.

Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown had to be separated from coach Nick Sirianni by chief security officer Dom DiSandro during a sideline blowup late in the first half. Brown ripped off his helmet in frustration and yelled more in Sirianni’s direction after the Eagles punted to end a drive.

Kittle was pushed out of bounds on a 6-yard reception and grabbed the back of his lower right leg. He was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley ran for 106 yards, but was slow to get up on a run in the fourth quarter. He used the stationary bike on the sideline to stay loose.

49ers: The 49ers won 17-13 in Seattle in the season opener only for the Seahawks to return the favor with a 13-3 win in the season finale.

Eagles: Could make yet another change at offensive coordinator as they try not to waste more prime years from Hurts, Barkley and the receivers.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey leaves the field after an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts to a touchdown pass to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) tries to stop San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) intercepts a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges (88) during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts to a touchdown pass to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) is unable to make the catch as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2) defends during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) reacts to a touchdown pass to 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)