Angels rally late to defeat Tigers
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin earned his first American League victory as the Los Angeles Angels used a late rally to defeat the Detroit Tigers, 5-1, Monday night in front of 38,541 at Angel Stadium.
Chacin (1-1) retired the first 17 batters he faced, amassed 10 strikeouts and conceded just one run, one walk and four hits in his first complete-game victory in five years.
The Angels sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning and combined five hits, an error and an intentional into five runs against right-hander Justin Verlander, who conceded just one hit while retiring 21 of the first 22 batters he faced, and reliever Buck Farmer.
Three line-drive singles began the rally. Johnny Giavotella singled to right field, took third base on Rafael Ortega's single to center and scored the game's first run on Cliff Pennington's single to left.
After Carlos Perez sacrificed Ortega and Pennington into scoring position came the game's pivotal play.
With the Tigers' infield playing in, Gregorio Petit hit a ground ball that shortstop Andrew Romine dived to backhand. Romine threw to home plate but Ortega slid before catcher James McCann could tag him. McCann then threw the ball down the first-base line for an error that allowed Pennington to score.
Farmer then replaced Verlander, walked Mike Trout intentionally with two out, and conceded singles to Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron, with Cron's hit bringing Trout home.
Verlander (4-5) recorded seven strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings and issued no walks but allowed four earned runs on four hits while throwing 116 pitches.
The Tigers ended Chacin's bid for a shutout in the top of the ninth. J.D. Martinez doubled down the left-field line, moved to third base on Miguel Cabrera's ground out and scored on Victor Martinez's sacrifice fly.
Both starting pitchers, Verlander and Chacin, dominated early while providing a study in contrasts.
Verlander, who led the American League in strikeouts three times, relied on a fastball reaching 95 mph. Chacin, meanwhile, combined a series of breaking pitches with a fastball that achieved 93 mph.
Verlander, the author of two no-hitters, pitched a perfect game for four innings until Cron began the bottom of the fifth by dumping a single into right field.
Chacin had a bid for his own perfect game for 5 2/3 innings, collecting seven strikeouts in the process. But with Chacin one strike from ending top of the sixth, the Tigers attempted to rally.
On a 3-2 count, Andrew Romine ended Chacin's perfect game by hitting a ground ball just out of the reach of shortstop Cliff Pennington for a single into left field. Romine was batting .091 when he got his hit.
Romine advanced to third base on Ian Kinsler's bloop single to short center field. But Chacin defused the threat by striking out J.D. Martinez.
Then in the seventh, Detroit put runners in scoring position with two out. Cabrera began the inning by lining a single into right field and moved to second on a balk. Nick Castellanos walked one out later, and both runners advanced one base when Justin Upton grounded out. But Cameron Maybin ended the inning by grounding out.
NOTES: Detroit RHP Jordan Zimmermann will throw his second bullpen session in three days on Tuesday. Zimmermann, who is recovering from an injured groin, is scheduled to start Friday night against the Chicago White Sox. ... Tigers INF Andrew Romine started at shortstop for the fifth time this season. Romine replaced Jose Iglesias, who received a day off. ... Los Angeles 3B Yunel Escobar was not in the starting lineup after suffering a contusion on his left wrist Sunday. ... The Angels activated RHP Huston Street (oblique) from the disabled list and designated RHP Deolis Guerra for assignment. Street needs one save to tie Jose Mesa for 17th place with 321. ... The Angels also recalled LHP Chris Jones from Triple-A Salt Lake and optioned RHP Mike Morin to the same club. ... Angels LHP C.J. Wilson will undergo an MRI on Tuesday after being diagnosed with biceps tendinitis that interrupted his rehabilitation program.