Taylor Ward came up just a triple shy of the cycle, driving in three runs and homering as the Los Angeles Angels topped the Detroit Tigers 7-4 on Saturday night.
Ward doubled in a run in the first, singled and scored in the fourth, and blasted a two-run homer in the fifth before grounding out in his final at-bat. Jo Adell also delivered a key three-run homer for Los Angeles, while Luis Rengifo added a solo shot in the eighth to provide insurance.
Yusei Kikuchi (6-7) won despite allowing four runs over five innings. Kenley Jansen closed it out in the ninth for his 21st save, extending his career-best streak to 20 consecutive outings without surrendering an earned run.
Detroit starter Charlie Morton (7-10) matched a season high with 10 strikeouts but struggled with command, giving up six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Angels jumped ahead in the first on Ward’s RBI double, but Detroit answered in the second with Andy Ibáñez’s RBI single and Jake Rogers’ sacrifice fly. After Morton fanned seven straight Angels hitters, Ward singled to start a fourth-inning rally. Morton then hit Yoán Moncada before Adell’s three-run homer flipped the score to 4-2.
The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the fourth with Matt Vierling’s sacrifice fly and Gleyber Torres’ RBI double. Ward’s two-run homer in the fifth ended Morton’s night, and Rengifo’s eighth-inning blast made it 7-4.
Key Moment:
Clinging to a 6-4 lead in the sixth, the Angels escaped a jam when Kikuchi struck out pinch-hitter Kerry Carpenter and induced a groundout from Torres with two on and no outs.
Key Stat:
Morton hit his 11th batter of the season — Moncada in the fourth — marking the 12th year he has hit at least 10 batters. He leads all active pitchers with 198 career HBPs.
Up Next:
The series wraps up Sunday with Detroit sending Casey Mize (10-4, 3.50 ERA) to the mound against Angels right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (3-9, 5.85 ERA).