Taylor Ward homers and drives in 3 runs in the Angels' 7-4 victory over the Tigers
Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Mike Trout celebrates in the dugout after scoring off a double hit by Taylor Ward during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
DETROIT — Taylor Ward homered and fell a triple short of the cycle, driving in three runs to help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4 on Saturday night.
Ward had an RBI double in the first, singled and scored in the fourth and hit a two-run homer in the fifth. He grounded out in the seventh.
Angeles starter Yusei Kikuchi (6-7) allowed four runs in five innings. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 21st save and his career-best 20th consecutive outing without allowing an earned run.
Detroit's Charlie Morton (7-10) matched a season high with 10 strikeouts, but the 41-year-old allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first on Ward's RBI double, and the Tigers got two in the second on Andy Ibáñez's RBI single and Jake Rogers' sacrifice fly.
Morton struck out seven straight after Ward's double, with Mike Trout snapping the streak with a leadoff groundout in the fourth. Ward singled, Morton hit Yoán Moncada, and Jo Adell hit a three-run homer to make it 4-2.
The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the inning on Matt Vierling's sacrifice fly and Gleyber Torres's RBI double.
Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, right, is tagged out at second base by Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, front left, during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
Ward ended Morton's night with a two-run homer in the fifth. Luis Rengifo made it 7-4 with a homer in the eighth.
Key moment
Trailing 6-4, the Tigers had runners on first and second with no one out in the sixth, but Kikuchi struck out pinch-hitter Kerry Carpenter and got Torres to ground out.
Key stat
Moncada was Morton's 11th hit batter on the season. Morton has hit at least 10 batters in 12 seasons and leads all active pitchers with 198.
Up next
Detroit RHP Casey Mize (10-4, 3.50 ERA) was set to face RHP Jack Kochanowicz (3-9, 5.85) on Sunday in the series finale.
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