Justyn-Henry Malloy’s inside-the-park home run highlighted a rare offensive outburst by the Detroit Tigers in their 7-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif.
The Tigers, who lost the first three games of the series, had scored more than four runs only twice in their previous 13 games, averaging 2.4 runs per game during that stretch.
Detroit catcher Carson Kelly hit a three-run homer in support of starting pitcher Casey Mize (2-6). The right-hander threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing just three singles, but had to leave the game with one out in the sixth when he appeared to injure his left hamstring.
One pitch before Mize’s departure, the Angels’ Jo Adell hit a popup behind the plate that the catcher Kelly could not locate in the bright sky. Mize sprinted in from the mound but did not make the catch and called for the training staff one pitch later.
Los Angeles made the Tigers sweat this one out despite trailing 7-1 going into the ninth inning. The Angels got a three-run homer from Zach Neto and a two-run shot from Adell to pull within a run.
With closer Jason Foley unavailable because he pitched 1 1/3 innings on Saturday, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch turned to Tyler Holton, who struck out Nolan Schanuel to end the game.
The Tigers led 2-0 in the fourth inning when Malloy came to the plate with one on and two outs against Los Angeles starter Tyler Anderson (7-8). Malloy hit a fly ball to the wall in center field where Mickey Moniak attempted to make a leaping catch.
Moniak came up empty and the ball caromed off the wall toward left-center field. Malloy circled the bases without a throw for Detroit’s first inside-the-park home run since Victor Reyes hit one on Aug. 27, 2021.
Angels left fielder Taylor Ward was hit by a 93-mph fastball from Shelby Miller on the earhole of his helmet leading off the bottom of the ninth. Ward did not go down but was immediately removed from the game.
Last season on July 29, Ward was hit in the face by a pitch from Toronto’s Alek Manoah and sustained multiple facial fractures. He missed the remainder of the season.
–Field Level Media
