Tigers 5 , Angels 3
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A two-out, two-run RBI double in the eighth inning by Johnny Peralta leads the Detroit Tigers to victory over the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 on Saturday.
As heard on sister station 1270 Talk Radio - the Tigers trailed most of the game but got some key hitting from Delmon Young with a double scoring Omar Infante - followed by Andy Dirks who hit an RBI single to left to score Young, but stranded men on base in the seventh inning , failing to capitalize on the situation.
The eighth inning made the difference as Detroit scored three runs with two-outs to take a 5-3 lead over the Angels.
With men on first and third, Peralta hit a line drive just fair down the left-field line off Garrett Richards (3-3). Alex Avila then added an RBI single.
Octavio Dotel (4-2) threw two scoreless innings for the win. Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save in 30 chances.
Vernon Wells homered for the Angels, who had won four straight.
Dan Haren, who threw two complete games against Detroit in July 2011, went only 5 2-3 innings in this one. He allowed two runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts.
Rookie Drew Smyly allowed one earned run and four hits in six innings for the Tigers in his return from a strained muscle in his right side. He struck out six and walked two.
Albert Pujols missed a third straight game for the Angels with a right calf injury. Miguel Cabrera was the designated hitter for Detroit - he's been battling right ankle soreness.
Cabrera hit a drive to deep right-center leading off the eighth, but Torii Hunter was able to make the catch after nearly overrunning the ball from right field. Hunter also took away a potential extra-base hit from Cabrera with a running catch in the opposite direction in the fourth.
The Tigers kept swinging, though, and Prince Fielder and Dirks both singled before Peralta's big hit.
Smyly was starting in place of Doug Fister, who has been bothered by tightness in his right groin. He allowed a third-inning solo homer to Wells and didn't get much help from his defense after that.
Second baseman Infante threw away a routine grounder by Bobby Wilson for an error later in the third, and Wilson eventually scored on Howie Kendrick's single.
The following inning, Kendrys Morales lifted a deep fly ball to center. Austin Jackson was able to run it down without too much trouble, but he ended up dropping it for his first error since June 29, 2011. Erick Aybar followed with a double to drive in Morales.
Detroit chased Haren in the sixth with an RBI double by Delmon Young and a bloop single to left by Dirks that scored Young.
Jordan Walden came on and got out of that jam by getting Peralta on a groundout. He also got one out in the seventh before Richards came on.
The Tigers missed a chance to score in the second when Fielder doubled to right but went sprawling past second base when Hunter's throw came in. He was tagged out, and Young followed with a double.
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(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
