Reid Detmers gives up three-run home run late in Angels’ loss to Tigers
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DETROIT — Matt Vierling hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and the Detroit Tigers beat the Angels 6-5 on Friday night.
With the Angels leading 5-3, reliever Reid Detmers (3-3) walked pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones and Gleyber Torres to start the inning. Vierling batted for Kerry Carpenter and hit his first homer of the season over the Detroit bullpen in left.
The Tigers avoided their third straight loss on a night when Tarik Skubal gave up back-to-back homers for the first time this season.
With one out in the fifth inning and the Tigers leading 3-1, Gustavo Campero hit a two-run homer to left. Two pitches later, the Angels (55-61) took the lead on Zach Neto’s second homer against Skubal this season.
Junior Caminero hit his 29th and 30th homers, Christopher Morel hit the go-ahead shot and six Tampa Bay pitchers combine to strike out 16 Angels.
Skubal struck out Nolan Schanuel, but Mike Trout ended Skubal’s shortest start of the season with an infield single.
Troy Melton (2-1) picked up the win with 2⅓ innings of relief. New Tigers closer Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his 23rd save.
Logan O’Hoppe gave the Angels a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the second, but Detroit (67-50) scored three times in the bottom of the inning.
Spencer Torkelson led off with his 25th homer, Riley Greene singled and took third on Zach McKinstry’s double. Javier Báez followed with a two-run bloop single to left.
Jo Adell’s 24th homer put the Angels ahead 5-3 in the eighth inning.
The game was delayed briefly in the third inning when Angels center fielder Bryce Teodosio stumbled catching a fly ball and hit his head on the fence. He stayed in the game but was replaced by Campero for the fourth inning.
Key moment: With one out and a runner on first in the seventh, Neto hit a 106.7-mph line drive to left, but Greene made a diving catch to help Melton escape the inning.
Key stat: Skubal hadn’t allowed back-to-back homers since Salvador Perez and Jorge Soler did it in the first inning of a 6-1 win for the Kansas City Royals on July 25, 2021.
Up next: The teams face each other again on Saturday evening, with Detroit RHP Charlie Morton (7-9, 5.20) making his second Tigers start against LHP Yusei Kikuchi (5-7, 3.22).
