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Ordonez, Galarraga lead Tigers past Angels

Apr 26, 2008 - 11:57 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- Armando Galarraga turned in another strong pitching performance and Magglio Ordonez drove in two runs to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Saturday.

Placido Polanco had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored for the Tigers, who have won five of their past six games.

After the Angels tied the game at 3-3 with a three-run rally in the top of the seventh, the Tigers responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame to move back ahead.

With one out in the seventh, Curtis Granderson tripled deep into the gap in left-center field off reliever Darren O'Day (0-1). After Polanco was walked intentionally, Gary Sheffield plated the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice.

"He makes us go," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Granderson, who was playing his third game this season after missing the first 22 with a broken finger. "There's no doubt about that. He gets the fans excited. He gets his teammates excited."

Ordonez drove in Polanco with a double before O'Day intentionally walked Miguel Cabrera. Jacque Jones capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Sheffield from third, putting Detroit on top, 6-3.

"He threw pretty well," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of O'Day. "Had a couple of bad breaks that cost him. You can't give this team any extra outs."

Galarraga did not allow a hit until the sixth inning but was victimized by his own error in the top of the seventh, robbing him of the opportunity to notch his third win as reliever Aquilino Lopez (2-0) allowed the tying run to score.

"I thought that was the best stuff (Galarraga's) had in the three games (that he started)," Leyland said. "I'm learning now that once he loses it, he loses it quickly. But today, he had the best stuff I've seen.

"He got the ball on the ground like he's supposed to. He's throwing that sinker. He threw some good changeups today."

Galarraga was charged with three runs - one earned - and three hits in six frames. An emergency starter two weeks ago when Dontrelle Willis went on the disabled list, Galarraga has been the strongest member of the Tigers' staff of late.

"He's a three-pitch pitcher," Leyland said. "He certainly pitched well enough to get the win. It's too bad he didn't, but that's OK, we're not into those things here. We're into the team thing.

"I didn't have any expectations about him. He got better as spring training went on. We were hoping he could give us depth."

Maicer Izturis drove in two runs and Vladimir Guerrero notched his 2,000th career hit with a double in the eighth inning for Anaheim.

"He has a lot more coming," Scioscia said of Guerrero. "This is just a milestone for him. This just validates what talent the man possesses."