Bako’s Homer Sparks Tigers, 8-3

Paul Bako was just trying to get the ball out of the infield. It went a lot farther than that.

Bako keyed a five-run Detroit sixth inning with his first major league homer, and the Tigers defeated the Oakland Athletics, 8-3, on Friday night.

“It was just an unbelievable feeling running around the bases,” said Bako, a rookie catcher the Tigers acquired from Cincinnati last November in exchange for Melvin Nieves. “It was just total happiness.”

Frank Castillo (2-1), who started the season on the disabled list because of a strained right shoulder, gave up two runs on six hits in five-plus innings for Detroit. The Tigers needed five more pitchers to close out the game. Detroit gave up eight walks.

“It should have been a lot easier,” Manager Buddy Bell said. “But I’m not going to get greedy. We played well for the most part. We walked some people and that should never happen.”

Both benches emptied with two outs in the ninth inning after Detroit reliever Doug Brocail hit Rickey Henderson on the left ankle. It was an apparent payback for a seventh-inning incident in which Oakland reliever Mike Mohler hit Bobby Higginson with a pitch.

“It was stupid, considering their guy was hit with a change-up,” Oakland Manager Art Howe said. “I don’t know, but maybe their guy went in and said, ‘Isn’t somebody going to protect me?’ ”

It happened right after Brocail was warned for throwing his previous pitch behind Henderson, who then yelled at the pitcher.

After being hit by the next pitch, Henderson started to walk to the mound with his bat in his hand, but both benches emptied before Henderson could reach Brocail, who was ejected and replaced by Doug Bochtler.

“I don’t think he wanted to hit me,” Henderson said. “I think he threw it where he was told. It was the last out and that’s the only reason he threw at me. It’s part of baseball, but I’ll remember. I ain’t gonna get hit by him again.”

NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: Detroit Tigers

WHERE: at Detroit

WHEN:

Today, 10 a.m.

Sunday, 10 a.m.

Monday, 4 p.m.