Trey Sweeney and Kerry Carpenter delivered career-best performances on Sunday afternoon as the Detroit Tigers defeated the Los Angeles Angels 13-1 at Angel Stadium. The victory secured a series win for Detroit, taking three of the four games in Anaheim.
Prior to the matchup, the Tigers were modest favorites, with moneyline odds hovering around -120, while the Angels were listed at approximately +100. This reflected Detroit’s edge based on recent form and standings in the American League Central.
The game broke open in the early innings and never swung back in favor of the home team. Sweeney singled home the game’s first run against Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz in the second inning. Moments later, Carpenter extended the lead with a two-run double that bounced off the right-field wall. Kochanowicz could not recover after those early runs and was eventually charged with five earned runs over five innings.
The Tigers continued their offensive onslaught in the third inning when Colt Keith hit a two-run home run, his third of the season, to make it 5-0. By the sixth, Detroit’s lead had grown substantially. Carpenter connected on his eighth home run of the year, a three-run shot against reliever Michael Darrell-Hicks that pushed the score to 8-0.
Sweeney added to the offensive display in the seventh, launching a three-run home run off José Fermín. He later contributed a two-run single in the eighth inning against Touki Toussaint, bringing his RBI total to six on the day. Carpenter finished with five RBIs, and both players recorded four hits in the game.
Detroit’s offense totaled 17 hits overall, while the pitching staff ensured there was little opportunity for the Angels to mount a comeback. Reese Olson earned the win for the Tigers, improving to 4-2. He threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing only three hits. Brenan Hanifee, Beau Brieske, and Will Vest combined to complete the final 3 1/3 innings, surrendering just one run.
The Angels’ lone run came on an RBI single by Zach Neto in the bottom of the eighth. Neto was among the few bright spots for Los Angeles, finishing with two of the team’s five hits.
Los Angeles, now firmly in last place in the American League West, has managed only two games with five or more runs over its last 21 contests. Sunday’s result also dropped the Angels to 1-3 at the start of their 10-game homestand.
Detroit, meanwhile, closed out the West Coast leg of its road trip with renewed momentum. The Tigers, currently leading the American League Central, will travel to Colorado for a three-game series against the Rockies beginning Tuesday. The Angels will remain at home to open a three-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays.
