ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Tarik Skubal struck out nine over seven stellar innings of three-hit ball, and Javier Báez had a homer and a three-run double in the Detroit Tigers' 11-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
Jake Rogers also homered for the Tigers, who have won four of six. Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter drove in two runs apiece as Detroit opened its 10-game California trip with a blowout in a weekend series between two teams about to miss the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season — the longest active postseason droughts in the majors.
Skubal (6-3) was dominant in his third straight victory, issuing no walks and retiring the Angels’ first nine hitters before Kyren Paris’ bunt single leading off the fourth. Skubal struck out the side in the sixth, and he finished the seventh after a mound visit from Detroit's training staff.
The Tigers scored a season-high seven runs in the eighth inning off reliever Jhonathan Diaz before Angels infielder Eduardo Escobar took over on the mound and got five consecutive outs.
David Fletcher and Jared Walsh both homered in their first games back in the major leagues for the Angels, who have lost three straight.
Shohei Ohtani sat out his 11th consecutive game with an oblique muscle strain for Los Angeles, but the two-way superstar went through another pregame workout.
Báez connected in the fourth inning for his ninth homer of the season, his first since Aug. 19. The veteran catcher then cleared the bases in the eighth with a double down the left field line.
Griffin Canning (7-7) yielded four runs on eight hits over six innings in his third consecutive loss for the Angels. He is 1-5 since June 24.
Fletcher, a longtime starter in the Angels' infield, has spent most of this season in the minors after apparently falling out of favor with the big league club. The Orange County native is back for the first time since July 8, and he celebrated with a solo shot off the left field pole for the Halos' only run off Skubal.
Walsh, a former All-Star who struggled with neurological ailments this season and even went unclaimed on waivers, blasted a long homer in his first plate appearance since June 23 in the ninth inning.
UMPIRE SCRATCHED
The game was played without a third base umpire after crew chief Ron Kulpa was scratched shortly before first pitch.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (Tommy John surgery) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday in Anaheim. ... OF Riley Greene (elbow) will see a specialist in California during Detroit's road trip. ... LHP Andrew Vasquez (calf) will make one more rehab appearance before likely rejoining the Tigers next week.
Angels: OF Mickey Moniak (back) and INF Mike Moustakas (forearm) went on the 10-day injured list. ... Before the game, Anthony Rendon said his injury is a broken tibia, not a deep bone bruise. The $245 million third baseman hasn't played since July 4.
UP NEXT
Los Angeles' Tyler Anderson (6-6, 5.36 ERA) makes his first start since throwing an eight-inning gem last week against Cleveland. Sawyer Gipson-Long (1-0, 3.60) makes his second career start for Detroit after throwing five solid innings to beat the White Sox last weekend.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
