|
 Freese hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to
give the Angels a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday in
front of 36,252 at Angel Stadium.
The victory was the 33rd in which Los Angeles had to rally from a
deficit to win. That total leads the major leagues. The Angels also
won their third consecutive game and their fourth in the past five.
Meanwhile, the Tigers lost their third successive game and their
fourth in their previous six.
"We're in a slump, offensively, right now," Detroit manager Brad
Ausmus said. "If our guys are swinging the bat well, we certainly
throw out some more hits and probably score a few more runs. It's
never good timing but teams go through offensive slumps."
Freese broke a 1-1 tie by hitting a fastball from right-handed
reliever Joba Chamberlain (1-4) over the center field fence for his
sixth homer of the season and his second of the 10-game homestand.
"Hopefully, that's just the start of bigger things for David,"
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "This guy is a much better hitter
than a guy hitting .240 in lieu of his production numbers."
Freese, the most valuable player of the 2011 World Series for the
St. Louis Cardinals, hit just .143 in his first 18 games with the
Angels. He was in the midst of a six-game hitting streak when a
pitched ball broke his right middle finger, forcing him to spend two
weeks on the disabled list. "Last year, he was banged up a little bit and struggled to find his
swing," Scioscia said. "When he finds it, he's gong to make our
lineup a lot deeper. We need him."
Right-hander Joe Smith (4-0) induced groundouts from all three
batters he faced in the top of the eighth. Right-handed closer
Huston Street also retired all three batters he faced and struck out
designated hitter Miguel Cabrera for the final out. Street earned
his 27th save of the season and his third since coming from the San
Diego Padres in a six-player trade July 18.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Second
baseman Ian Kinsler lined a single to right field, then scored on
first baseman Victor Martinez's two-out double off the right-field
wall. But after Martinez's double, left-hander Hector Santiago
retired the next 14 batters, giving the Angels a chance to tie the
score.
Los Angeles did so with an unearned run in the fifth. After
shortstop Erick Aybar and second baseman Howie Kendrick hit
successive one-out singles, right-hander Rick Porcello tried to pick
Aybar off second base.
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Porcello threw the ball into center field, allowing both runners to
advance one base. When Detroit center fielder Austin Jackson
retrieved the ball, he hesitated about making a throw. Aybar
exploited that hesitation to bring the tying run home.
"We talked to Austin about it," Ausmus said. "He's got to be aware
of where that lead runner is. He can't take anything for granted. He
knows that can't happen and it certainly won't happen again."
Porcello faced the minimum through the first 4 1/3 innings despite
allowing two hits, one each to right fielder Kole Cahoun and first
baseman Efren Navarro. Both were retired on double plays. In his
seven innings, Porcello generated 11 groundouts and collected six
strikeouts while conceding just five hits, an unearned run and no
walks.
Santiago permitted three hits and no walks along with the run while
striking out three in 5 1/3 innings.
NOTES: Detroit DH Miguel Cabrera needs one home run to tie Frank
Howard and Hall of Famer Jim Rice on the all-time list, and to join
Lou Whitaker in sixth place on the team's career home run list.
Cabrera has hit 243 of his 381 career homers for the Tigers, and is
tied with Albert Belle all-time. ... Tigers RHP Joe Nathan needed
five saves to tie Jeff Reardon for seventh place in career saves as
Sunday's play began. Nathan, 39, has 362 saves. ... The Tigers began
Sunday leading the American League with a .277 batting average. ...
Detroit RHP Max Scherzer celebrated his 30th birthday Sunday. ...
Los Angeles LF Josh Hamilton returned to the lineup Sunday after
missing one game because of a sore left knee. ... Angels LHP C.J.
Wilson will make a rehabilitation start at Double-A Arkansas on
Monday. Wilson went on the disabled list July 10 with a sprained
right ankle. ... Angels CF Mike Trout and DH Albert Pujols share
second place in the major leagues with the most RBIs since June 13.
Trout and Pujols each drove in 31 runs. Boston Red Sox DH David
Ortiz leads with 33 RBIs going into Sunday's play. ... Angels
players wore patches commemorating the Hall of Fame's 75th
anniversary.
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