Field Level Media
Jul 30, 2019
Miguel Cabrera homered and drove in three runs, Jordan Zimmermann earned his first victory of the season and the Detroit Tigers beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-2 Monday night in Anaheim, Calif.
In the first inning, Cabrera hit his sixth homer of the season, then added a two-run, bases-loaded single in the eighth to stretch the Tigers' lead to three runs to 5-2.
For Zimmermann (1-8), it was his first win of the season in 14 starts. He also was winless in his final four starts last year, meaning he went into the game winless in 17 consecutive starts.
But he managed to keep the Angels offense in check, giving up two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings for his first win since Sept. 5, 2018.
Angels starter Jaime Barria (4-4) struck out the first two batters of the game before Cabrera got hold of a 92-mph fastball and hit it over the fence in center field for a 1-0 Tigers lead.
The Tigers added to their lead in the fourth inning after Nick Castellanos reached second when Angels third baseman Matt Thaiss threw the ball away for an error. Christin Stewart followed with a double to drive in Castellanos to put Detroit up 2-0.
In the fifth inning, the Tigers again scored with two out, this time on Jordy Mercer's solo homer to go up 3-0.
Barria was finished after five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits while striking out five. He did not walk a batter.
Meanwhile, Zimmermann held the Angels scoreless until Kole Calhoun hit his 24th homer with one out in the fifth. In the sixth, the Angels cut their deficit to 3-2 on an RBI double by David Fletcher.
Mike Trout then was hit by a pitch, ending Zimmermann's night. Left-hander Blaine Hardy walked Shohei Ohtani to load the bases. But Hardy worked his way out of the jam by striking out Justin Upton and Calhoun to end the inning.
--Field Level Media