Another rough night for Scot Shields

The Angels had nine relief pitchers on their roster for Wednesday night’s game against the Detroit Tigers, three more than they usually carry for most of the season.

There is no strength in those numbers.

The bullpen inherited a two-run lead to start the sixth inning and was torched for six runs over the next two innings, the latest in a string of late-game meltdowns leading to a 12-10 loss to the Tigers at Angel Stadium.

Justin Speier gave up a run in the sixth, and Scot Shields was tagged for four runs in the seventh, failing to retire the four batters he faced to start the inning. Shields’ earned-run average after Wednesday: 14.40.

Angels relievers have now combined for an 0-6 record and a major league-worst 8.63 ERA. Wednesday night marked the fifth time this season the bullpen had given up five earned runs or more in a game.

Wasted was a career-high five runs batted in by Angels first baseman Kendry Morales and three-hit games by Maicer Izturis and Torii Hunter, the highlights of a 16-hit night.

The Angels rallied off Detroit closer Fernando Rodney in the ninth, scoring twice with two out when Mike Napoli and Gary Matthews Jr. singled and Juan Rivera hit a two-run double to make it 12-10. But Erick Aybar grounded to first, ending the game.

The Angels took an 8-6 lead into the seventh when Shields, who was confident he had ironed out a mechanical flaw in his delivery with a weekend bullpen session in Minnesota, entered.

It looks as it it will be back to the drawing board for Shields, who gave up a leadoff single to Magglio Ordonez, a walk to Miguel Cabrera, a single to Carlos Guillen that loaded the bases and a walk to Gerald Laird that forced in a run.

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia summoned right-hander Jose Arredondo to replace Shields, and Brandon Inge hit a chopper up the middle.

Aybar charged and fielded the ball in front of the second-base bag, but instead of throwing to first, where his momentum was carrying him, the shortstop made an errant, off-balance flip that nicked off Izturis’ glove at second.

Inge was credited with a single and a game-tying RBI, but Guillen scored the go-ahead run on Aybar’s error. Josh Anderson’s sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third.

With the infield in, Adam Everett hit a popup to shallow left that Aybar was not able to catch after a long run. The single scored Laird to make it 10-8.

Curtis Granderson’s single loaded the bases, and Placido Polanco’s infield single, a high chopper to third, made it 11-8 before Ordonez hit into an inning-ending double play. Inge hit a solo home run off Rich Thompson in the ninth.

A pitcher’s duel, it wasn’t.

Left-hander Joe Saunders became the first Angels starter to give up more than four runs this season, yielding two in the first, two in the third, and one in the fifth on Granderson’s home run.

Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander was worse, needing 104 pitches to get through five innings, in which he gave up seven runs and nine hits.

Verlander threw 36 pitches in the first inning alone, including a hanging breaking ball that Morales lofted into the seats in right-center field for a three-run home run and a 3-2 lead.

Aybar’s RBI double in the second made it 4-2. Detroit tied the score, 4-4, in the third and went ahead on Granderson’s homer in the fifth, but the Angels countered with three in the bottom of the fifth for a 7-5 lead.

Izturis and Bobby Abreu opened with singles and Hunter hit an RBI single to right that advanced Abreu to third. Hunter alertly took second on the throw, and both runners scored on Morales’ single to right.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com