Alexander hurls Tigers past Angels

DETROIT (AP) — Tyler Alexander pitched six strong innings and the Detroit Tigers' bullpen finished off a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday afternoon.

The Tigers had lost two straight and 10 of 12.

Alexander (3-7) allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings, notching his first win in eight starts this season. Detroit's bullpen then pitched three hitless innings, with Gregory Soto throwing the ninth for his 23rd save.

“I liked the way I finished, especially the way I started,” said Alexander, who allowed one run in each of the first three innings. “I couldn't get the ball inside like I wanted. I didn't make any mechanical adjustments — I just made better pitches in the last three innings.”

The Tigers' bullpen has been strong all season, but the starting pitching leads the American League with a 3.15 ERA since the All-Star break. That hasn't been enough to overcome the team's lack of offense — Detroit is 9-21 in that stretch — but manager A.J. Hinch is encouraged.

“We're at a point where we expect a good start,” he said. "and we expect to win if we give our bullpen a lead."

Los Angeles' Reid Detmers (4-4) took the loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings.

“I was just having a hard time getting settled in,” said Detmers, who was 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his past six starts. “Nothing felt right coming out of my hand, and I'm not sure why. I'll have to go back and watch the video.”

Angels manager Phil Nevin wasn't worried about the loss of velocity on Detmers' fastball, saying "his slider was right where we expect it ... He said he felt fine, so it is more than likely a mechanical issue.”

Unlike Friday's game, which the Angels won 1-0 in two hours and 15 minutes, hits and runs were common for both teams in the early innings.

Shohei Ohtani led off the game with a double and scored on Luis Rengifo's base hit, and the Angels took a 2-0 lead in the second on Andrew Velazquez's homer.

The Tigers scored twice on five hits and a bases-loaded walk in the second inning, and could have had more if right fielder Taylor Ward hadn't thrown Jonathan Schoop out at the plate.