Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run home run in the second inning, and Kerry Carpenter added an RBI single in the third as the Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to six games with a 3-2 victory over the Angels on Wednesday night.
“We’re finding different ways to win,” Torkelson said. “We’re a versatile team. One night it might be the pitching staff, another night we get a couple bloopers to fall and some times it is a blast.”
The teams were forced to wait out a lengthy rain delay at the outset for the second straight night. This time, after a delay of 1 hour 50 minutes, first pitch took place at 8:30 p.m.
The Tigers moved two games over .500 at 68-66 for the first time since May 7, when they were 19-17.
“We are obviously in a much better place than we’ve been for quite a while, and we’ve earned it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “But that doesn’t help us win tomorrow. I have to keep everyone grounded and try to get them to play another game like we did today.”
The Angels (54-79) lost their seventh straight game and have dropped 13 of 15.
“We played a better game tonight, but we just didn’t put any runs on the board,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “They earned their three runs and we earned our two, but that’s not enough.”
Tigers opener Mason Englert, making his first appearance since June 24, pitched two scoreless innings before giving way to former Dodger Kenta Maeda.
Maeda (3-6) gave up two unearned runs and four hits with two walks in 4-1/3 innings.
“I was able to mix in all my pitches,” Maeda said through an interpreter. “It helped to have a lead — I just went out there and leaned on that.”
Beau Brieske followed with two scoreless innings and Jason Foley pitched the ninth for his 19th save.
“There’s a lot to love about a win like this,” Hinch said. “We made big pitches, we made some defensive plays and Foley comes in and shuts the door in the ninth.”
Angels starter Griffin Canning (4-12) took the loss, giving up three runs and five hits and four walks in five innings. Canning is 1-5 in his last 10 outings.
“He really battled out there and he did a good job getting us through five,” Washington said. “If he’d been giving up three runs all year, we would have taken it.”
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the second on Torkelson’s two-run shot, his third since returning to the majors on Aug. 17. Detroit took a three-run lead on Carpenter’s run-scoring hit in the third. Carpenter has four RBIs in the first two games of the series.
“Jace (Jung) had a terrific at-bat — that was a 10-pitch walk — and I think he tired (Canning) out,” Torkelson said. “He gave me a good pitch and I was ready for it.”
Detroit took a three-run lead on Carpenter’s run-scoring hit in the third. Carpenter has four RBIs in the first two games of the series.
Mickey Moniak made it 3-2 with a 409-foot homer to right-center in the sixth. It was the 20th homer allowed by Maeda in 99-2/3 innings.
At one point during Maeda’s stint, Tigers catcher Jake Rogers went to the mound for what was supposed to be a pep talk.
“He claimed he was speaking Japanese,” Maeda said. “I have no idea what he was saying.”