Ryan Johnson delivered five effective innings, and the Los Angeles Angels received key RBI contributions from Jorge Soler and Zach Neto to edge the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Sunday, ending a four-game losing streak.
Johnson earned his second win of the season after limiting Detroit to one run on two hits while striking out five. The Angels’ bullpen protected the lead over the final four innings, and Ryan Zeferjahn overcame a late home run to secure his third save.
Los Angeles also benefited from another strong offensive performance by Nolan Schanuel, who collected three hits and helped spark the decisive rally in the fifth inning.
Tigers Strike First
Detroit wasted little time getting on the scoreboard.
Shortstop Kevin McGonigle opened the game with his third leadoff home run of the season, giving the Tigers an immediate 1-0 advantage.
The Angels answered in the second inning.
Vaughn Grissom led off with a double before Josh Lowe advanced him to third with a sacrifice bunt. Oswald Peraza then hit a slow infield single that allowed Grissom to score and tie the game at 1-1.
Detroit starter Casey Mize looked sharp early but left the game in the fourth inning after taking a 109 mph line drive off his left hand on a comebacker from Jo Adell.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Mize suffered a bruised wrist and was also dealing with groin tightness. The club removed him as a precaution, and Hinch indicated the right-hander should be fine.
Mize allowed one run on five hits over 3 1/3 innings while striking out five.
Johnson Escapes Key Jam
Johnson kept Detroit’s lineup in check despite several tense moments.
The rookie right-hander surrendered only two hits but issued three walks across five innings. His biggest challenge came in the fifth, when the Tigers loaded the bases with two outs.
Johnson responded by striking out Dillon Dingler on an 82 mph sweeper to end the threat and preserve the tie.
The outing improved Johnson’s record to 2-4 and continued his development in the Angels’ rotation.
After Johnson departed, Samy Natera Jr., Chase Silseth and Sam Bachman each contributed a scoreless inning to bridge the game to the ninth.
Angels Take Control
Los Angeles broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth.
Reliever Drew Anderson issued two walks before Schanuel singled to load the bases. Soler then hit a ground ball that brought home the go-ahead run, giving the Angels a 2-1 lead.
The Angels added an important insurance run an inning later.
Peraza singled to begin the sixth before stealing second base and advancing to third on Tyler Heineman’s groundout. Zach Neto followed with a single to right field, driving in Peraza for a 3-1 advantage.
Peraza finished with an RBI, a stolen base, and a run scored, while Schanuel’s three-hit performance helped fuel the offense throughout the afternoon.
Zeferjahn Closes It Out
Detroit made one final push in the ninth inning.
Riley Greene opened the inning by hitting a solo home run off Zeferjahn, trimming the Angels’ lead to 3-2.
The homer ended an impressive run for the right-hander, who had allowed only two earned runs over 19 1/3 innings in his previous 18 appearances since June 1.
Zeferjahn quickly recovered, retiring the next three batters to finish the game and record his third save of the season.
The victory halted Los Angeles’ four-game skid and gave the club a strong finish to the weekend behind solid pitching and timely hitting.
Up Next
The Angels continue their homestand Monday night when right-hander José Soriano, who is 8-6 with a 3.49 ERA, starts against the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis is scheduled to counter with right-hander Kyle Leahy, who enters with a 7-4 record and a 3.73 ERA.
The Tigers travel to Chicago to begin a series against the Cubs. Detroit will send right-hander Jack Flaherty, who is 3-8 with a 4.48 ERA, to the mound against Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon, who carries a 2-5 record and a 5.19 ERA.