The Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels played game two of a three-game series at Comerica Park on Saturday evening. The Tigers had taken game one on the strength of solid relief pitching and a pinch-hit home run from Matt Vierling, his first dinger of the season.
Game two looked like a pitching mismatch, with the Angels deploying Yusei Kikuchi and the Tigers countering with trade deadline acquisition Charlie Morton. Morton was solid in his first start for the Tigers a few days back, so the team was hoping for more of the same against a dangerous Angels offense.
Morton got things started by striking out Zach Neto with a magnificent curveball. With two out, Mike Trout singled to right. Taylor Ward hit a fly ball to left center that Jahmai Jones took a rough route on, just going over his glove for a run-scoring double. Morton bounced back by striking out Yoán Moncada, but a bit better defense would have kept the Angels off the board.
The entire Tigers lineup was batting right-handed, giving the order an odd look. The hero of last night’s game, Matt Vierling, led off the game and singled on the first pitch from the lefty Kikuchi. Gleyber Torres battled a bit but flied out to right-center; Vierling was so far towards second base he had to sprint back, barely beating a relay throw. Jones struck out looking. Spencer Torkelson nearly walked, but he swung at a few pitches outside the zone before ultimately flying out.
Morton got another swinging strikeout on the curve to start the second inning. He liked doing that so much he struck out the side. His breaking pitches were working very effectively early on, baffling Angels hitters.
Wenceel Pérez battled Kikuchi before fouling a pitch off his left ankle. Trainers checked on him and he remained in the game, clearly feeling good enough because he then immediately hit a triple down the left field line. Andy Ibáñez singled him home, tying the game.
Dillon Dingler struck out swinging, bringing up Javier Báez. He hit an off-speed pitch all the way to the right field corner; the Angels outfielder nearly made a highlight grab, but it bounced out of his glove. Runners on second and third, Jake Rogers flew out for a sac fly, with Javy advancing to third as well. Vierling had a shot to drive in another run but struck out swinging on a full count.
Morton came back into the game with a lead. He did the same thing he did in the second: strike out the side. After three innings, he had EIGHT strikeouts, including 7 in a row.
Leading off the bottom of the third, Torres worked a walk. Jones and Tork struck out swinging, but Pérez singled, putting runners on first and third with two out for Ibáñez. He struck out swinging as well, ending the frame.
Mike Trout grounded out to end the consecutive strikeouts streak. It was downhill from there, as the next two batters reached via single and HBP before Jo Adell launched a homer to left. Luis Rengifo followed with a triple to right and the wheels were falling off the wagon. The next batter walked. Morton finally got himself right again, striking out Gustavo Campero and getting a flyout to end the disastrous inning.
The Tigers responded in kind in the bottom of the fourth. Two singles put runners on first and third before Rogers struck out on some high cheese. That again brought up last night’s hero Vierling, who hit a sac fly to center. Báez stole second easily, which ended up as a good play because Torres, after a tough battle with Kikuchi, laced a ball just fair (it hit the line) into left field for a run-scoring double. Javy might have scored from first, but it was a sure thing from second. Jones flew out, but the game was tied.
Morton was back out on the mound for the top of the fifth. Pérez was pulled for Zach McKinstry on defense, with Zach going to SS and Javy moving to CF. Charlie had been shaky in the fourth and didn’t really change in the fifth as he allowed a single, got a strikeout, and then allowed a home run to put the Angels up 6-4.
His day was done, and while the bullpen hasn’t been great lately, it was still a bit shocking that Morton was allowed to try for five when it was clear his stuff was faltering. His final line: 4.1 innings, 6 ER, 1 BB, 10Ks. A very mixed bag.
Trade deadline reliever Rafael Montero came in. He has had a pretty rough year overall, but Harris liked some things in his pitching profile and clearly has been hoping to Fetterize him. He had a clean remainder of the inning, getting a swinging strikeout and a groundout. Unfortunately, the Tigers’ offense needed to step up again after the Morton meltdown.
Kikuchi returned to the mound in the bottom of the inning, even though he was at 92 pitches. He walked Tork, but McKinstry hit into a double play. A pop-up ended things on a sour note.
Montero was back in the sixth. An incredible Ibáñez play at third robbed a hit. With two out, Campero singled, but a pop-up squashed any more offense.
The Angels went to their bullpen in the sixth, with righty Ryan Zeferjahn taking over. He got Dingler swinging on a pitch well outside, but Báez singled – his third hit of the game. Rogers had a funny at-bat, where he thought he walked on a 3-1 pitch that was called a strike and had to grab his bat and put his gear back on; the next pitch was well outside, walking him.
A pinch-hitting Kerry Carpenter struck out on a filthy pitch at the edge of the strike zone, leaving it up to Torres. He battled, but ultimately hit a shot right at the SS, grounding out to end the threat.
Lefty Tyler Holton was the next man up out of the bullpen. He quickly had a 1-2-3 inning.
Brock Burke relieved Zeferjahn. The lefty gave up a two-out walk but nothing else, and the game moved on to the 8th.
Holton was back to get one more quick out, then Hinch went to the newest call-up, Cody Heuer. This was only his second game since 2021, as he battled injuries, including Tommy John surgery and a busted elbow the last few years. He got Adell to fly out at the warning track, and then gave up a home run to Rengifo. He did get a strikeout to end the inning, but it was now 7-4 Angels.
The Angels went back to the bullpen again, bringing in righty Luis GarcÃa. He mowed down the Tigers, including striking out Javy on a pitch in a different zip code from the plate.
Heuer returned to the mound for the top of the 9th. He gave up a walk but managed to keep the doors closed this time, getting all three outs without a run scoring.
The Tigers were up to bat in the bottom of the 9th, down three runs. They faced Kenley Jensen, a long-time closer for a few times and the AL reliever of the month for July. Carpenter popped out. Torres was frozen on a fastball, striking out. Riley Greene pinch-hit for Jones but struck out swinging. Game over, Angels win.
Morton’s implosion and the Angels’ hitting multiple home runs were the stories of the game. The Tigers’ offense couldn’t get anything going against the Angels’ bullpen, dooming them.
The teams play again tomorrow at 1:40 p.m. ET in the rubber match of the series. RHP Casey Mize will take on RHP Jack Kochanowicz. The Tigers badly need a series victory here.
Final score: Angels 7, Tigers 4