Detroit Tigers defeat Los Angeles Angels 5-4 to avoid series sweep – MLB Update
The Detroit Tigers managed to rebound in the last match of the three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels to take a close 5-4 win at Angel Stadium in Anaheim on Wednesday July 6, to avoid series sweep.
The Tigers had gone under a three-run deficit right in the bottom of the first inning when their starter Brad Penny struggled to gain his momentum. He allowed an RBI single to Vernon Wells and RBI double to Howard Kendrick to give three-run lead to opposition.
The Tigers initially struggled against the opposite starter Tyler Chatwood but they gained their impetus in the top of the third inning. In this inning, their designated hitter Victor Martinez blistered a line drive to right-field for an RBI double. Then
they made three more runs in the seventh inning. Right-fielder Andy Dirks scored a tying run while Miguel Cabrera launched a two-run dazzling homer off the Angels’ reliever Michael Kohn to take the game to 5-3 in the top of the seventh inning.
"We swung the bats pretty good the last couple days," Cabrera said. "We just needed to keep swinging the bat and wait for something to happen. If you try too hard, it's not going to happen."
The Angels’ Michael Trumbo also hammered a 393-feet long homer in the bottom of the seventh inning but he could only reduce the lead just by one run. The Tigers’ relievers David Purcey, Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde did not let the Angels stretch
even for a single run in the later part of the game.
Penny went for four runs on six hits, allowed two walks and made three strike-outs in just over six innings. He also allowed a homer in over 99 pitches to get his sixth win of the season.
"After that first inning, my focus got better," Penny said. "I should have been like that in the first inning. But for some reason I was off a little bit."
Chatwood allowed two runs on four hits but walked five batters in just over five innings. His reliever Hisanori Takahashi allowed two runs in a crucial time and lost his second game of the season. Rich Thompson pitched two scoreless innings and got three
strike-outs in the later part of the game but could not gather a save.
The Angels lost his game after four consecutive wins, including two over state rivals Los Angeles Dodgers.
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