DETROIT — The Angels were on their way to an impressive victory before Reid Detmers let it all get away in a span of three batters.
The Angels’ left-hander walked two and then gave up a three-run homer in the eighth inning of a 6-5 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Until then, they had scored four runs against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, including Zach Neto’s second homer against the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner this season.
Jo Adell’s homer in the top of the eighth provided a two-run cushion for Detmers as he took the mound in the bottom of the eighth.
Detmers began the inning by walking Jahmai Jones – a former Angels prospect – on four pitches, three of which easily could have been called strikes. He then walked Gleyber Torres.
Detmers fell behind Matt Vierling, 3-and-1, including two more questionable calls. He then threw a fastball that Vierling hit over the left-field fence for a three-run homer.
That spoiled the Angels’ good work against Skubal, who came into the game with a 2.18 ERA.
Gustavo Campero hit a game-tying two-run homer in the fifth, and then Neto immediately followed with a homer to put the Angels up, 4-3.
Neto, who also homered against Skubal in May in Anaheim, has two of the 12 homers the Tigers’ ace has allowed this season.
Neto has hit 17 home runs this season, including 10 that have given the Angels the lead.
The Angels (55-61) couldn’t hold that lead, though. They’ve lost three in a row and five out of seven since the trade deadline, when general manager Perry Minasian declined to trade away big league assets to give the roster a chance to play meaningful games in August and September.
Their chances of winning this one didn’t seem good, based only on the pitching matchup.
But the Angels were able to hit Skubal, and Angels starter Kyle Hendricks gave up just three runs in five innings, getting a lead to the bullpen.
Hendricks gave up a Spencer Torkelson homer and then two runs on three hits, all in the second inning.
Otherwise, Hendricks had no trouble. He started the game by striking out the first three hitters. It was the first since June 17, 2021, that Hendricks pitched a perfect inning with three strikeouts.
Even though Hendricks retired nine of 10 and gave up just a single in the third through fifth innings, the Angels took no chances with him, seeing the heart of the Tigers’ lineup for a third time.
Angels center fielder Bryce Teodosio left the game after he hit his head on the fence, falling backward after a catch. There was no immediate report on his condition.
More to come on this story.
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