Rays manager Joe Maddon was a trusted lieutenant as bench coach under Mike Scioscia, serving a total of 12 seasons on the Angels' coaching staff. Prior to getting his first big league managerial post in 2006, Maddon had spent his entire 31 years in professional baseball in the Angels organization.

Maddon took over a team that has predominantly been a bottom feeder since joining the American League in 1998, posting last-place finishes in nine of 10 seasons and never winning more than 70 games in franchise history.

The 2008 campaign has taken a different tack for the Rays, who arrived in Anaheim on Monday in second place in the AL East, possessing the third-best record in the league and fifth-best in the Majors. They flexed their muscles in the series opener, dealing the Angels a 13-4 loss.

"It is a lot of what we saw last year," Scioscia said. "[The Rays] keep making progress, and they're getting good pitching. They can pressure you on their offensive side. They had a good night tonight and we have to turn the page on it. They're doing a good job on us and we have to pick up our game."

Maddon remains well-liked in the Angels' clubhouse, but those in red were looking for Joe Saunders to notch a W. The left-hander was rocked early, and the Angels were unable to keep pace with a Rays offense that produced 18 hits, including four homers.

Torii Hunter drilled his 200th career homer, which briefly gave the Angels a one-run advantage, but Saunders simply wasn't sharp, as he allowed eight runs on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings to take the loss -- his second to the Rays this season.

"I felt good coming out of the bullpen, but tonight I got deep into counts it seemed like to everybody, and they got my pitch count up there," Saunders said. "I was feeling good; I wasn't fatigued or anything. This is just one of those games you have to forget about."

The Angels got 10 of their 12 hits off Rays starter Edwin Jackson, but were never quite able to shake the right-hander, who lasted seven innings to pick up the win.

"He made some pitches to stay in the game," Scioscia said. "Once they got the lead we still had some chances, but give him credit, he battled and stayed in there."

Saunders rolled through the first inning with relative ease, allowing just one baserunner, when Jeff Mathis was called for catcher's interference on a foul ball hit by Carl Crawford.

The second inning was one Saunders would like to have back, as the Rays hit back-to-back-to-back homers for the first time in franchise history.

Evan Longoria, a local product from Long Beach State, who was also the Rays' first-round Draft choice in 2006, got it started by hitting a 1-0 pitch from Saunders beyond both bullpens in left and into the bleachers. Longoria went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and hit his second homer of the night in the ninth.

Willy Aybar, Erick's older brother, followed Longoria in the second by hitting a 1-0 pitch to left for a homer, and Dioner Navarro continued the string on a full-count pitch, hitting a shot to left.

The Angels climbed back with an RBI single by Gary Matthews Jr. in the bottom of the second, Garret Anderson's sac fly in the third and Hunter's two-run homer in the fourth for a 4-3 lead.

Saunders, who is normally able to work down in the zone, never found his rhythm, and was unable to get the key out that might have kept the Angels in the game.

With two down in the fifth after Crawford reached on a fielder's choice and B.J. Upton followed with an RBI double, Longoria walked and Aybar knocked in Upton with a base hit. Navarro followed with a two-run double, and Gabe Gross hit an RBI single off reliever Jose Arredondo to cap the scoring on Saunders.

"When you make mistakes like that to a good-hitting team, they're going to hit home runs," Saunders said. "We scored some runs and I tried to flip some zeroes, but they hit where we weren't and you have to tip your cap."

The outburst produced the first Rays victory at Angel Stadium since Sept. 25, 2005, and tied a franchise mark with their fourth straight victory over the Angels.

"Yes, it's nice to get the win, but there's no special significance for me. It's just that we played well," Maddon said. "In the past, we've lost some games here, but they've pretty much beat us here in the past. They're good. They're good at home and I know that."