Haren’s 2-hitter for Angels tops Verlander, Tigers

7/6/2011
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander, left, and catcher Alex Avila watch the scoreboard replay of Los Angeles Angels' Howard Kendrick scoring during the second inning Tuesday.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander, left, and catcher Alex Avila watch the scoreboard replay of Los Angeles Angels' Howard Kendrick scoring during the second inning Tuesday.

ANAHEIM, Calif.  — Dan Haren pitched a two-hitter while outdueling Justin Verlander for his 100th career victory, and the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0 Tuesday night for their 10th win in 12 games.

Howie Kendrick scored from first base on Erick Aybar’s second-inning double, and Haren was nearly flawless while the Angels ended Verlander’s streak of nine straight wins. Haren (9-2) finished by retiring 15 straight batters.

Verlander (11-4) was ejected while leaving the mound in the eighth after yielding seven hits and striking out eight. He lost for the first time since April 27, a streak of 12 straight starts.

Detroit manager Jim Leyland also was ejected before the seventh inning. Leyland and Verlander apparently were angry after the umpiring crew ordered Verlander to change balls earlier.

Leyland was tossed during a prolonged argument with umpire Joe West, and Verlander was ejected after saying something to West while walking to the dugout. The Tigers, who have lost six of eight, also lost slugger Brennan Boesch in the third inning after he fouled a pitch off the inside of his right thigh.

Angels designated hitter Bobby Abreu was ejected in the first inning by plate umpire Angel Campos for arguing a called third strike.

Verlander had won in his last seven trips to the mound since May 29, with nine straight victories overall. He was named the AL pitcher of the month for June earlier Tuesday after the All-Star selection went 6-0 with a 0.92 ERA and 54 strikeouts.

But Haren retired 19 of the Tigers’ last 20 hitters overall, expertly mixing speeds and locations in a stark contrast to Verlander’s intimidating power.

Detroit managed only Austin Jackson’s third-inning triple and Jhonny Peralta’s leadoff single in the fifth, with star sluggers Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez both going 0 for 3.

The 30-year-old Haren, who has won five of his last seven starts, is the 34th active pitcher with 100 career wins, joining teammate Joel Pineiro on the list.

Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an infield single in the second inning, although the call was argued vociferously by Leyland. Moments later, Kendrick scored on Aybar’s hit-and-run double down the right-field line when right fielder Magglio Ordonez threw to second base instead of home.

Verlander retired the next eight batters, but the Angels loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth on two singles and a walk. Verlander escaped the jam with a strikeout, a popup and an inning-ending, full-count line drive to center field by Torii Hunter.

The Angels have been inexplicably bad with the bases loaded this season, hitting .196 with a major league-low 31 runs scored in that situation.

The Tigers managed just three baserunners, with Boesch reaching first in the first inning after striking out on a wild pitch.

Boesch finished his at-bat in the third after fouling Haren’s pitch off his leg, but was replaced in left field by Andy Dirks in the bottom of the inning.

The Tigers hit several balls fairly hard against Haren, but Los Angeles’ superb outfield defense surfaced again in the second when Vernon Wells made an outstanding grab on Peralta’s drive near the wall.

NOTES: No Angels player had been ejected from a game this season before Campos threw out Abreu, who hadn’t been tossed since 2007. ... Boesch has a bruised right knee, the Tigers announced. He entered the game on a roll, hitting .398 with eight homers and 15 RBIs over his last 30 games. ... Hunter grounded into his major league-leading 19th double play in the eighth inning.