Angels Take Series Finale Against Tigers, 7-1, As Grayson Rodriguez Gets Another Win

The Los Angeles Angels took their second straight series for the first time this season as they beat the Detroit Tigers, 7-2, behind some timely hitting and a strong start by Grayson Rodriguez, who got his second straight win as an Angel. 

The early innings featured some fine pitching by both starters. Jack Flaherty of the Tigers has some bad career numbers against the Angels, but he pitched four shutout innings without a threat, and Wenceel Perez backed up Flaherty with a solo homer in the second. 

The Angels finally struck back in the fifth by putting up a crooked number and rallying for three runs. The rally started with a double by Jo Adell, a wild pitch and an unexpected single from Sebastian Rivero to score Adell. 

Donovan Walton then singled to move Rivero over, and Zach Neto drove in the second run of the inning with an RBI double down the left field line. Mike Trout was then walked intentionally, and Vaughn Grisson hit a sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-1. 

Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez continues to improve, and today’s effort was superb as he went five strong innings. He had his change up working to go with velocity in the upper 90s, and Rodriguez exited with a final line of two hits and a pair of walks to go with the single run while throwing 88 pitches.

Drew Pomeranz took over, and Drew Sommers took over for the Tigers in the sixth as Flaherty got a single out in that inning. Pomeranz pitched a scoreless sixth, and Jose Fermin did the same for the Angels in the seventh. 

The Angels rallied again in the eighth off reliever Ricky Vanasco, thanks to some fine base running by Trout after he walked and Grissom doubled to left center. Trout was able to score with Grissom taking third, and a single from Jorge Soler made it 5-1. 

Sam Bachman was next up on the mound for the Angels, and he turned the eighth into an adventure. Bachman gave up a double to start the inning and walked a pair of hitters, but he struck out Riley Greene with two out and the bases loaded to hold the Tigers in check. 

Trout made the game a route in the ninth with an RBI double after a single by Donovan Walton and a walk to Zach Neto. That made it 7-1, and Ryan Zeferjahn finished this one off with an uneventful ninth. 

The Angels have now won five of their last six as they took back-to-back series for the first time this season. Their next series will be a challenge, though, as they head to Florida to meet the Tampa Bay Rays.