Tigers hold off Angels' ninth-inning rally, snap losing streak

He continued to try to stretch it out but the Tigers were taking no chances and removed him from the game.

On the pitch before, Mize chased hard after a foul popup from Adell. Catcher Carson Kelly lost the ball in the high sky and third baseman Gio Urshela couldn’t get to it. Mize overran it and the ball dropped.

Mize got Adell out on the next pitch, same foul popup between home and third. That’s when he felt the tug in his leg.

By then, the offense had built a seven-run cushion.

Ibanez ended up getting a pair of hits off Angels’ lefty starter Tyler Anderson. That raised his season average against southpaws to .403 (27 for 67).

Malloy’s dash capped a three-run fourth inning. The Tigers already scored once in the inning on a strange 5-2-3 putout by Urshela. Wenceel Perez had doubled Kelly to third.

Third baseman Miguel Sano threw home trying to get Kelly but the throw was late. O’Hoppe smartly fired to first and got Urshela by a step.

Malloy followed, crushing a first-pitch cutter off the base of the wall in right-center. The ball caromed back toward the infield unimpeded and Malloy scampered around the bases.

He did a head-first dive at the plate, but he didn’t need to. There was no play.

It was his third homer and the Tigers’ first inside-the-parker since Victor Reyes got one on Aug. 27, 2021.

Kelly piled on, slugging a 407-foot, three-run home run in the fifth. It was his fifth home run of the season.

Turned out, they needed the runs. Reliever Shelby Miller couldn't get the final three outs in the ninth. He gave up a three-run, game-winning home run to O'Hoppe on Friday and gave up two more homers in the ninth Sunday.

He hit Taylor Ward in the head with a 93-mph fastball to start the inning and with two outs he walked back-up catcher Matt Thaiss. Neto followed with a long three-run homer to left. After Mickey Moniak reached on an infield single, Adell slugged a two-run homer to center.

Just like that, five runs are in, it's a one-run game and Tyler Holton had to come in to get the final out.

The Tigers (38-46), start a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Tuesday.

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