Anaheim, Calif. — There was no need for any locker room speeches. The Tigers reassembled after the All-Star break, went through a full-squad workout Friday afternoon and got right back to business.
“There’s not a lot to say to this group,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game. “We know exactly what’s ahead. We know exactly where we’re at. We feel really good coming out of the break with how we’re playing. We’re ready to go.”
BOX SCORE: Tigers 2, Angels 1
The were ready to go. Just not ready to win on this night.
It might’ve taken them a bit, but it ended well.
Hao-Yu Lee lined a two-out, two-run, opposite-field double in the top of the ninth to give the Tigers a rousing 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium.
Keider Montero, who had set down seven straight hitters in relief of Troy Melton, hit Jorge Soler to start the bottom of the ninth. Jose Siri dropped a single in short center.
But Montero got Jo Adell to pop out to second and Kevin McGonigle made a sensational play, leaping for a high-hopper and throwing out Oswaldo Peraza at first base.
And with runners at second and third, Montero earned the 3.1 inning save getting Denzer Guzman to ground out to shortstop.
The Tigers had been stymied by Angels’ lefty Reid Detmers for six innings.
But in the ninth, right-hander Kirby Yates hit leadoff hitter Dillon Dingler with a two-strike pitch. James Outman pinch-ran and with one out, he stole second. Greene drew a walk.
With Kerry Carpenter up, Outman got a huge break and would’ve stolen third base. But Carpenter swung and popped out to shallow left. It seemed like the inning was dead right there.
But Lee lashed a 1-0 fastball beyond the reach of right-fielder Jo Adell and both runners scored.
The Tigers’ offense had been stunted the last three games by premier starting pitchers: Cristopher Suarez and Zack Wheeler of the Phillies, and now Detmers.
Detmers allowed four hits and only three hard-hit balls. He struck out seven. Greene doubled with two outs in the fourth. Ben Malgeri doubled with one out in the fifth. Neither advanced.
Melton, who grew up in Anaheim attending games at Angels Stadium, came out of the gates firing 99-mph fastballs. But he also labored to harness his command. He walked two in a 27-pitch first inning, which led to a run.
He walked the leadoff hitter in the second inning.
And then he locked it in.
He struck out the next three hitters and finished with nine punch-outs in 5.2 innings. He got swings-and-misses with five different pitches, including two with his seldom-used curveball. In all, the Angels came up empty on 18 of their 42 swings and took 18 called strikes.
Melton finished his outing, at 94 pitches, by striking out Jorge Soler and Josh Lowe.
This story will be updated.
Chris.McCosky@detroitnews.com
@cmccosky
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Tigers’ Hao-Yu Lee delivers in ninth inning to down Angels
Reporting by Chris McCosky, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Chris McCosky, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
