Chacin goes distance as Angels top Tigers

[May 31, 2016]  ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jhoulys Chacin waited several years for the kind of performance he displayed Monday night.

The right-hander recorded his first complete game since 2011, and the Los Angeles Angels used a late rally to defeat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 in front of 38,541 at Angel Stadium.

A Detroit error keyed the Angels' five-run eighth inning that broke a scoreless tie.

Chacin (1-1) retired the first 17 batters he faced, amassed 10 strikeouts and conceded just one run, one walk and four hits.

"Chacin did an unbelievable job," Angels second baseman Johnny Giavotella said. "He looked terrific. He was a bulldog. He went after every batter. I don't think he made one or two mistakes. He really sparked us."

Chacin, whom the Angels acquired in a trade with the Atlanta Braves on May 11, attributed his success to getting into favorable counts early.

"The key was throwing strikes," Chacin said. "I just wanted to keep the ball down and go in and out with my slider, my cutter, my curve and my changeup. My slider was my strikeout pitch. It was really good."

After leading the Colorado Rockies with 14 victories in 2013, Chacin made only 11 starts the next season because of shoulder injuries. The Cleveland Indians signed Chacin in April 2015 but released him two months later before he appeared in a game for them. Chacin then joined the Diamondbacks, but he pitched just five major league games for Arizona last year.

"I think 2013 was the last time I felt that good and that my pitches were moving that well," Chacin said. "I'm just really happy that my arm is getting back to normal. It's getting there."

The Angels sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning. They turned five hits, an error and an intentional walk into five runs against right-hander Justin Verlander, who conceded just one hit while retiring 21 of the first 22 batters he faced, and reliever Buck Farmer.

Three line-drive singles began the rally. Giavotella singled to right field, took third base on Rafael Ortega's single to center and scored the game's first run on Cliff Pennington's single to left.

Carlos Perez sacrificed Ortega and Pennington into scoring position before the game's pivotal play.

With the Tigers' infield playing in, Gregorio Petit hit a ground ball that shortstop Andrew Romine dived to backhand. Romine threw to home plate, but Ortega slid before catcher James McCann could tag him. McCann then threw the ball down the first base line for an error that allowed Pennington to score.

"Romine made a great dig on a short hop," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "McCann made a great dig, as well, but 'Mac' has got to hold that ball. If he doesn't have a clear line of sight, just hold it and keep the runners right there."

Petit played a critical role before he hit his ground ball.

"Petit literally threw the bat at strike three and was able to foul it off," Verlander said. "He was able to grind through that at-bat and get a ball in play."

McCann's error was the first of his major league career.

Farmer then replaced Verlander, and he walked Mike Trout intentionally with two outs. He then conceded RBI singles to Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron.

Verlander (4-5) recorded seven strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings and issued no walks but allowed four earned runs on four hits while throwing 116 pitches.

The Tigers ended Chacin's bid for a shutout in the top of the ninth. J.D. Martinez doubled down the left field line, moved to third base on Miguel Cabrera's groundout and scored on Victor Martinez's sacrifice fly.

Both starting pitchers dominated early while providing a study in contrasts. Verlander, who led the American League in strikeouts three times, relied on a fastball reaching 95 mph. Chacin, meanwhile, combined a series of breaking pitches with a fastball that achieved 93 mph.

Verlander, the author of two no-hitters, pitched a perfect game for four innings until Cron began the bottom of the fifth by dumping a single into right field.

"Verlander did a great job of keeping us in check," Giavotella said. "He was really locating that fastball well, fairly up in the zone and belt high. It's really tough to do anything with the pitch."

Chacin made a bid for his own perfect game for 5 2/3 innings, collecting seven strikeouts in the process. But with Chacin one strike from ending the sixth, the Tigers tried to rally.

On a 3-2 count, Romine hit a ground ball just out of the reach of Pennington at shortstop for a single into left field. Romine was batting .091 when he got his hit.

Romine advanced to third base on Ian Kinsler's bloop single to short center field. But Chacin defused the threat by striking out J.D. Martinez.

NOTES: Detroit RHP Jordan Zimmermann will throw his second bullpen session in three days on Tuesday. Zimmermann, who is recovering from an injured groin, is scheduled to start Friday night against the Chicago White Sox. ... Tigers INF Andrew Romine started at shortstop for the fifth time this season. Romine replaced Jose Iglesias, who received a day off. ... Los Angeles 3B Yunel Escobar was not in the starting lineup after suffering a contusion on his left wrist Sunday. ... The Angels activated RHP Huston Street (oblique) from the disabled list and designated RHP Deolis Guerra for assignment. Street needs one save to tie Jose Mesa for 17th place with 321. ... The Angels also recalled LHP Chris Jones from Triple-A Salt Lake and optioned RHP Mike Morin to the same club. ... Angels LHP C.J. Wilson will undergo an MRI on Tuesday after being diagnosed with biceps tendinitis that interrupted his rehabilitation program.

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