Detroit Tigers Comeback Falls Short, Lose 11-9 to Angels

Detroit Tigers fans nearly witnessed a comeback for the ages, but the Tigers were unable to battle back from a 9-2 deficit . Detroit eventually fell by a score of 11-9.

The Detroit Tigers lost a heartbreaking game to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the state of California of the United States 11-9 in the middle game of their three game series. The Tigers were down 9-2 in the bottom of the sixth, only to fight back to 9-9. The team lost on C.J. Cron’s second home run of the night.

Anibal Sanchez got the start tonight and it was incredibly ugly. The Tigers pulled him after just three innings of work and surrendering six runs on three home runs. That ran his total to 14 on the season.

The Tigers got on the board first in this game in the top of the first. After the first two outs of the inning were retired in order, Miguel Cabrera unloaded on a ball 449 feet into the shrubbery in left-center field.

As fast as the Tigers took the lead, they gave it away. A leadoff single and walk to Mike Trout put runners on first and second with no one out, but two runners were erased on an Albert Pujols double play. When Sanchez looked to escape the inning, he hung a slider to C.J. Cron who homered to left to give the Angels the 2-1 lead. 

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The Tigers then tied the game up with a Justin Upton home run, his first in a month and third of the season to tie the game at 2-2.

The Angels came back in the bottom of the second with more runs of their own. Cliff Pennington singled and Kole Calhoun walked to put two on with two out for Trout who deposited a two run home run beyond the wall in center field to give the Angels the 5-2 lead. The Angels then added another run on a Jefry Marte home run in the bottom of the third to push the lead to 6-2.

Warwick Saupold entered the game in the top of the fourth and was greeted by a Carlos Perez double, a Calhoun double a Trout walk, a Cron sacrifice fly and a Marte single to push the LA lead to 9-2.

The Tigers got two runs back in the top of the sixth. Ian Kinsler hit a single to right field and J.D. Martinez hit a home run to left field to cut the deficit to 9-4.

The Tigers got right back into the game in the top of the seventh. Justin Upton, James McCann, and Jose Iglesias all walked to load the bases. Kinsler then hit his first career grand slam to cut the Angels’ lead to 9-8.

The Tigers came all the way back in the top of the eighth. Victor Martinez unloaded for the fifth Tigers home run of the game to tie the game at 9-9.

The comeback was complete, but the Tigers could not find the final run, but the Angels did in the bottom of the 9^th off of Mark Lower. Albert Pujols walked to lead off the inning, and C.J. Cron hit his second home run of the night to give the Angels the 11-9 victory.

Next: Jimmy Paredes as a Bench Option

These two teams will conclude their series Wednesday afternoon at 4:05. Michael Fulmer will take the mound for the Tigers against Wyandotte native and former Eastern Michigan pitcher, Matt Shoemaker.