Angels beat Tigers for 8th straight time

6/27/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS

DETROIT — Mike Trout homered and drove in three runs, and Erick Aybar’s two-run shot gave Los Angeles the lead for good as the Angels beat Detroit 7-4 on Wednesday night for their eighth consecutive win over the Tigers.

The Angels have outscored the Tigers 55-21 during the streak.

Miguel Cabrera and former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter homered for Detroit.

Los Angeles emergency starter Billy Buckner gave up three runs and three hits in three-plus innings. He replaced Tommy Hanson, who was scratched after feeling tightness in his right forearm while warming up in the bullpen before the game.

Buckner was pulled in favor of Dane De La Rosa after walking Jhonny Peralta and allowing Andy Dirks’ infield single to lead off the fourth.

De La Rosa (2-1) got two quick outs before walking Austin Jackson to load the bases. But he fanned Hunter to end the inning. De La Rosa allowed a hit in two innings.

Scott Downs and Michael Kohn combined for a scoreless two innings, and Kevin Jepsen gave up an unearned run on catcher Mark Iannetta’s passed ball in the eighth. Ernesto Frieri pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances.

Detroit starter Jose Alvarez (1-1) allowed four runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. He was pulled after giving up Aybar’s two-run homer with two outs in the sixth that put Los Angeles ahead 4-3.

Aybar lofted Alvarez’s first pitch just over the fence in left for his third homer, scoring Iannetta, who had singled with two out.

Los Angeles added three in the seventh against Drew Smyly on Trout’s RBI double, Josh Hamilton’s groundout, and Alberto Callaspo’s run-scoring single.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first on back-to-back homers by Hunter and Cabrera.

Hunter, who played for the Angels the previous five seasons before signing a two-year contract with Detroit, drove Buckner’s 3-2 pitch into the left-center field stands for his fourth home run.

Cabrera then lined a 2-0 pitch over the fence in left for his 22nd home run and second in two days. He extended his hitting streak to 11 games.

Victor Martinez doubled with two outs but was stranded when Peralta sent Trout to the warning track in left-center.

Trout tied it with a two-run homer in the third. After J.B. Shuck led off with a double, Trout sent Alvarez’s 2-1 offering over the fence in left for his 13th homer.

Prince Fielder’s run-scoring single gave Detroit a 3-2 lead in the third. His liner to right brought home Hunter, who led off with a double.

Teixeira out for season

NEW YORK — Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will have season-ending surgery on his right wrist.

The Yankees said the All-Star had an MRI with dye contrast and that team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad determined the torn tendon sheath had not adequately healed. New York said hand specialists Drs. Melvin Rosenwasser of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Michelle Carlson of the Hospital for Special Surgery and Keith Raskin of the New York University School of Medicine school concurred in the diagnosis.

Recovery time for the surgery is projected at six months.

Teixeira was hurt while hitting off a tee March 5, when he was with the U.S. team at the World Baseball Classic. He made his season debut May 31, then came out of a game June 15 because of inflammation. He went back on the disabled list and did not respond to a cortisone shot.

A two-time All-Star, Teixeira was batting just .151 with three homers and 12 RBIs in 53 at-bats. He is among five regulars who have missed a substantial part of the Yankees season.