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Angels hold on for wild win over Tigers

Apr 25, 2007 - 12:59 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Erick Aybar and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim clearly did not want to let this one slip away.

Aybar's grounder in the 10th inning allowed pinch-runner Reggie Willits to score the winning run, lifting the Angels to a wild 9-8 triumph over the Detroit Tigers.

It was the fourth victory in the last five games for Anaheim, which jumped to a 7-0 lead after three innings only to see Detroit take the lead in the ninth.

But the Angels tied the game in the ninth and won in dramatic fashion in the 10th to improve to 4-1 on their seven-game homestand.

"Talk about a roller coaster of a game," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We both gave each other opportunities but fortunately we capitalized on that last one."

Kendry Morales led off the 10th with a single off Detroit closer Todd Jones (0-1), who uncorked a wild throw to first base to allow Morales to advance to second on the play.

After Morales was replaced by Willits, Maicer Izturis was intentionally walked. Jose Molina laid down a perfect sacrifice to set the stage for Aybar, who rolled Jones' 1-1 pitch to second baseman Placido Polanco.

Willits got an excellent jump off third base and scored easily ahead of Polanco's high throw to the plate, prompting a wild celebration.

"Reggie got a great jump off the bat, and it was enough to get the run across," Scioscia said.

Anaheim righthander Dustin Moseley (2-0) recorded the final out in the 10th to pick up the win. Orlando Cabrera and Vladimir Guerrero both collected three hits and two RBI for the Angels, who pounded out 13 hits.

Facing the early deficit, Detroit chipped away at the lead with three runs in the sixth inning, one in the seventh and one in the eighth.

The Tigers took the lead in the ninth when Magglio Ordonez blasted a two-run homer off star closer Francisco Rodriguez to make it 8-7.

Rodriguez also yielded a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning and suffered his first blown save of the season.

"This was a (heck) of an effort from our team, but we just came up a little short," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "It was good experience for our guys to play in a tight game with big situations."

But Anaheim forged an 8-8 tie in the bottom of the frame thanks to Guerrero, who lofted a ground-rule double to right field, advanced to third on Garret Anderson's flyout and scored on a wild pitch by Jones.

"It was a fun game and we showed that we didn't give up and never quit," Tiger center fielder Curtis Granderson said. "We just couldn't hold them off."

Cabrera ignited a four-run outburst in the opening frame with an RBI double and scored on Guerrero's two-run single in the second inning. Cabrera pushed the lead to 7-0 in the following frame with a run-scoring hit to plate Aybar.

Angels starter Kelvim Escobar, who was activated from the disabled list prior to the contest, yielded four runs - three earned - and five hits in 5 2/3 innings. The righthander walked two and struck out six but did not improve on his lifetime 8-0 record vs. Detroit.

"It definitely felt good to get back out there again and help our team win games," said Escobar, who had not pitched since April 8. "My offense gave me a lot of runs to work with, but (the Tigers) never gave up. It was a big win for our team."

Jeremy Bonderman overcame some early jitters to allow the Tigers to rally. The hard-throwing righthander worked six innings, allowing seven runs - five earned and 11 hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Ordonez went 3-for-3 with three RBI and Granderson belted his fourth homer for the Tigers, who have lost 33 of their last 45 games against the Angels.