ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Six years after Alex Meyer
was a first-round draft pick, the 6-foot-9 right-hander is still trying
to realize his enormous potential as a big league pitcher.
Meyer appears to be on his way after outpitching Justin Verlander in the longest and best start of his career for the Los Angeles Angels.
Mike Trout homered in his third straight game and Meyer pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning of the Angels' 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.
Meyer (2-1) is attempting to secure his spot in Los Angeles' rotation after two stints in Triple-A this season. His fourth start of the season was largely outstanding, and he picked up his third career win when his teammates got to Verlander for two solo homers.
"I don't want to get comfortable with anything," Meyer said. "It's tough up here. It's not easy, and I've got to remember that, which I will. It was a good stepping stone today, and hopefully I'll build off it and get better."
After giving up two hits and his only run in his first five pitches, Meyer limited the Tigers to two walks and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts. The Angels are Meyer's third big league organization, and he has his best chance yet to stick in the big show after back-to-back victories.
"The whole thing you'd like to see in the game plan, he accomplished it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Danny Espinosa hit a tiebreaking homer off Verlander, helping the Angels to just their fourth win in 12 games.
Andrelton Simmons added an RBI single to chase Verlander (3-3) in the seventh as the Angels split four games with the Tigers, who haven't won a series in Anaheim in eight tries since 2009.
Ian Kinsler doubled and scored on Nicholas Castellanos' single to put the Tigers up early, but they didn't score again.
"We just didn't muster up anything offensively," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "It was a different day, for sure. ... This team is going to hit. It's not something I'm going to worry about."
Bud Norris pitched the ninth for his seventh save in nine chances.
VERLANDER VS. TROUT
Verlander yielded five hits and walked five while pitching into the seventh inning of his first loss in four starts. With seven strikeouts, Verlander passed Tommy John and pulled even with Eddie Plank for 53rd place in baseball history with 2,246 career strikeouts.
But he regretted his hanging slider to Trout in the first inning to give away his early lead. Trout also was hit by a pitch and drew a walk from Verlander.
"In two at-bats, I didn't give him anything to hit," Verlander said. "The one pitch I did give him to hit was a cookie. So it's tough facing him, obviously."
TROUT'S CLOUTS
With his 11th homer, Trout went deep in three straight games for the third time in his career, also accomplishing the feat in September 2013 and June 2016. The two-time AL MVP also stole two bases, joining Alex Rodriguez as the only players to get 175 homers and 150 steals before their age-26 season.
Trout reached base three times before driving in another run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
DANNY'S DINGER
Espinosa was mired in a 3-for-57 slump before cranking a 433-foot shot to right in the fourth. The power-hitting second baseman hadn't homered since April 13, and the hit was just his second since April 26.
BIG SWIPES
Cameron Maybin stole second base three times for the Angels, matching his career high in steals. He also became the first player in franchise history to get three walks and three steals in the same game.
Along with Trout's steals, Los Angeles had two players with two stolen bases apiece for the first time since July 30, 2011, at Detroit.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: 3B Yunel Escobar had an MRI exam on his hamstring and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain, sending him to the disabled list and likely sidelining him for two to four weeks.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Matthew Boyd (2-3, 3.89 ERA) makes his eighth start of the year when Detroit returns home to face Baltimore. Boyd has never faced the Orioles or beaten an AL East team.
Angels: Jesse Chavez (2-5, 4.29 ERA) takes the mound when the Chicago White Sox visit Anaheim to open a three-game set. Los Angeles' preseason fifth starter isn't getting great results, but is eating up innings for an injury-plagued staff.
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More AP MLB: www.apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Detroit Tigers
Meyer appears to be on his way after outpitching Justin Verlander in the longest and best start of his career for the Los Angeles Angels.
Mike Trout homered in his third straight game and Meyer pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning of the Angels' 4-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.
Meyer (2-1) is attempting to secure his spot in Los Angeles' rotation after two stints in Triple-A this season. His fourth start of the season was largely outstanding, and he picked up his third career win when his teammates got to Verlander for two solo homers.
"I don't want to get comfortable with anything," Meyer said. "It's tough up here. It's not easy, and I've got to remember that, which I will. It was a good stepping stone today, and hopefully I'll build off it and get better."
After giving up two hits and his only run in his first five pitches, Meyer limited the Tigers to two walks and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts. The Angels are Meyer's third big league organization, and he has his best chance yet to stick in the big show after back-to-back victories.
"The whole thing you'd like to see in the game plan, he accomplished it," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.
Danny Espinosa hit a tiebreaking homer off Verlander, helping the Angels to just their fourth win in 12 games.
Andrelton Simmons added an RBI single to chase Verlander (3-3) in the seventh as the Angels split four games with the Tigers, who haven't won a series in Anaheim in eight tries since 2009.
Ian Kinsler doubled and scored on Nicholas Castellanos' single to put the Tigers up early, but they didn't score again.
"We just didn't muster up anything offensively," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "It was a different day, for sure. ... This team is going to hit. It's not something I'm going to worry about."
Bud Norris pitched the ninth for his seventh save in nine chances.
VERLANDER VS. TROUT
Verlander yielded five hits and walked five while pitching into the seventh inning of his first loss in four starts. With seven strikeouts, Verlander passed Tommy John and pulled even with Eddie Plank for 53rd place in baseball history with 2,246 career strikeouts.
But he regretted his hanging slider to Trout in the first inning to give away his early lead. Trout also was hit by a pitch and drew a walk from Verlander.
"In two at-bats, I didn't give him anything to hit," Verlander said. "The one pitch I did give him to hit was a cookie. So it's tough facing him, obviously."
TROUT'S CLOUTS
With his 11th homer, Trout went deep in three straight games for the third time in his career, also accomplishing the feat in September 2013 and June 2016. The two-time AL MVP also stole two bases, joining Alex Rodriguez as the only players to get 175 homers and 150 steals before their age-26 season.
Trout reached base three times before driving in another run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
DANNY'S DINGER
Espinosa was mired in a 3-for-57 slump before cranking a 433-foot shot to right in the fourth. The power-hitting second baseman hadn't homered since April 13, and the hit was just his second since April 26.
BIG SWIPES
Cameron Maybin stole second base three times for the Angels, matching his career high in steals. He also became the first player in franchise history to get three walks and three steals in the same game.
Along with Trout's steals, Los Angeles had two players with two stolen bases apiece for the first time since July 30, 2011, at Detroit.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: 3B Yunel Escobar had an MRI exam on his hamstring and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain, sending him to the disabled list and likely sidelining him for two to four weeks.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Matthew Boyd (2-3, 3.89 ERA) makes his eighth start of the year when Detroit returns home to face Baltimore. Boyd has never faced the Orioles or beaten an AL East team.
Angels: Jesse Chavez (2-5, 4.29 ERA) takes the mound when the Chicago White Sox visit Anaheim to open a three-game set. Los Angeles' preseason fifth starter isn't getting great results, but is eating up innings for an injury-plagued staff.
---
More AP MLB: www.apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Detroit - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Kinsler hit a ground rule double to deep left. | 0 | 0 |
| Castellanos singled to right, Kinsler scored. | 1 | 0 |
| Cabrera struck out swinging. | 1 | 0 |
| V. Martínez flied out to right. | 1 | 0 |
| Castellanos caught stealing second, pitcher to first to shortstop. | 1 | 0 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Revere grounded out to first. | 1 | 0 |
| Simmons grounded out to third. | 1 | 0 |
| Trout homered to left (414 feet). | 1 | 1 |
| Valbuena lined out to left. | 1 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Upton popped out to first. | 1 | 1 |
| J.D. Martinez grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Calhoun struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Cron struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Maybin walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Maybin stole second. | 1 | 1 |
| Espinosa walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Graterol lined out to shortstop. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Romine flied out to left. | 1 | 1 |
| Machado walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Machado out at second on runner's fielder's choice. | 1 | 1 |
| Kinsler flied out to center. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Revere struck out looking. | 1 | 1 |
| Simmons flied out to center. | 1 | 1 |
| Trout hit by pitch. | 1 | 1 |
| Trout stole second. | 1 | 1 |
| Valbuena walked. | 1 | 1 |
| Calhoun struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Castellanos grounded out to third. | 1 | 1 |
| Cabrera struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| V. Martínez struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Cron flied out to right. | 1 | 1 |
| Maybin struck out swinging. | 1 | 1 |
| Espinosa homered to right (428 feet). | 1 | 2 |
| Graterol flied out to center. | 1 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Upton popped out to shortstop. | 1 | 2 |
| J.D. Martinez walked. | 1 | 2 |
| McCann struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Romine struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Revere grounded out to first. | 1 | 2 |
| Simmons lined out to left. | 1 | 2 |
| Trout walked. | 1 | 2 |
| Trout stole second. | 1 | 2 |
| Valbuena struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Machado grounded out to shortstop. | 1 | 2 |
| Kinsler flied out to right. | 1 | 2 |
| Castellanos struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Calhoun struck out swinging. | 1 | 2 |
| Cron popped out to second. | 1 | 2 |
| Maybin walked. | 1 | 2 |
| Maybin stole second. | 1 | 2 |
| Espinosa popped out to first. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Alex Meyer pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Cabrera grounded out to third. | 1 | 2 |
| V. Martínez doubled to deep center. | 1 | 2 |
| Parker relieved Meyer. | 1 | 2 |
| Upton struck out looking. | 1 | 2 |
| J.D. Martinez flied out to center. | 1 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Justin Verlander pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Graterol singled to center. | 1 | 2 |
| Revere singled to left, Graterol to third. | 1 | 2 |
| Simmons singled to right, Graterol scored, Revere to third. | 1 | 3 |
| Greene relieved Verlander. | 1 | 3 |
| Trout hit sacrifice fly to left, Revere scored. | 1 | 4 |
| Hardy relieved Greene. | 1 | 4 |
| Valbuena grounded into double play, first to shortstop, Simmons out at second. | 1 | 4 |
| 2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| David Hernandez pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Hernandez relieved Parker. | 1 | 4 |
| McCann flied out to right. | 1 | 4 |
| Romine hit by pitch. | 1 | 4 |
| Machado singled to right, Romine to second. | 1 | 4 |
| Kinsler grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Machado out at second. | 1 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Los Angeles - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Blaine Hardy pitching for Detroit | DET | LAA |
| Calhoun fouled out to catcher. | 1 | 4 |
| Rodríguez relieved Hardy. | 1 | 4 |
| Cron struck out looking. | 1 | 4 |
| Maybin walked. | 1 | 4 |
| Maybin stole second. | 1 | 4 |
| Espinosa struck out swinging. | 1 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Detroit - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Bud Norris pitching for Los Angeles | DET | LAA |
| Norris relieved Hernandez. | 1 | 4 |
| Castellanos grounded out to third. | 1 | 4 |
| Cabrera struck out swinging. | 1 | 4 |
| V. Martínez popped out to third. | 1 | 4 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Detroit Tigers
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinsler 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | .223 | .341 | .357 |
| Castellanos 3B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | .234 | .304 | .407 |
| Cabrera 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 13 | .238 | .319 | .396 |
| V. Martínez DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 21 | .270 | .333 | .349 |
| Upton LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 | .259 | .376 | .527 |
| J.D. Martinez RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | .444 | .500 | 1.111 |
| McCann C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | .179 | .278 | .440 |
| Romine CF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | .230 | .302 | .391 |
| Machado SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | .222 | .300 | .222 |
| Totals | 28 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 132 | |||
| BATTING 2B: Kinsler (4, Meyer); V. Martínez (7, Meyer) RBI: Castellanos (22) GIDP: Kinsler Tigers RISP: 1-4 (Kinsler 0-1, Castellanos 1-1, J.D. Martinez 0-1, Upton 0-1) Team LOB: 3 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING CS: Castellanos (1, 2nd base by Meyer) Picked Off: Castellanos (1st base by Meyer) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (Cabrera-Machado). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA |
| Attendance | 36,215 (79.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 3:09 |
| Weather | 70 degrees, partly cloudy |
| Wind | 12 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Marty Foster, First Base - Mike Winters, Second Base - Chad Whitson, Third Base - Mike Muchlinski |
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