Angels figure it out by the sixth inning to beat Tigers, 2-1

KEY MOMENT: After appearing to be mystified by left-hander Drew Smyly in the first five innings, the Angels broke through in the sixth. Kole Calhoun doubled to score the tying run and Efren Navarro, playing after Josh Hamilton left with an injury, grounded a two-out single up the middle to put the Angels ahead, 2-1.

AT THE PLATE: The Angels scored enough to win, but Thursday night’s late struggles, when the Angels’ final three batters struck out to end the game, carried over to Friday. The Angels struggled just to make contact. Every starter, except for Hamilton, who left the game after one at bat, struck out at least once. They didn’t hit the ball out of the infield until the fourth. They didn’t record a hit until the fifth. Since the All-Star break, the Angels have scored just 24 runs in eight games, their worst stretch of the season.

ON THE MOUND: Left-hander Tyler Skaggs was nearly overshadowed by the early dominance of Smyly, but he more than held his own. He made just one mistake: a 3-1 fastball that Miguel Cabrera connected with for a solo home run. The retooled Angels bullpen shut down the Tigers. Joe Smith tossed a 1-2-3 eighth and Huston Street picked up the save. Smyly is now the second Detroit starter in a row to strike out 11 Angels, but he picked up the loss.

HAMILTON INJURED: Hamilton left the game after the third inning with a sore left knee. He appeared to favor the knee in the second inning while attempting to chase down a double.

UP NEXT: Right-hander Matt Shoemaker (7-3, 4.54 earned-run average) squares off against Detroit right-hander Justin Verlander (9-8, 4.84) on Saturday at Angel Stadium at 6 p.m. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830.