Clete Thomas’ grand slam helps Tigers rally for 9-6 victory over Angels

Thomas’ grand slam helps Tigers rally past Angels

DETROIT — Clete Thomas’ grand slam broke an eighth-inning tie and the Detroit Tigers took advantage of a key error by first baseman Kendry Morales in a 9-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

The Angels led 5-4 going into the bottom of the eighth, but Jose Arredondo (1-3) walked Ryan Raburn and Adam Everett with one out. Jason Bugler came on and walked Curtis Granderson, loading the bases.

Placido Polanco flied out to shallow center, and Raburn bluffed an attempt to score. Gary Matthews Jr. threw toward the plate but the ball was misplayed by the cutoff man, Morales, allowing Raburn to score the tying run.

Magglio Ordonez drew the 15th walk of the game, loading the bases again, and Thomas followed with his first career slam.

The Angels took the lead in the top of the eighth when Joel Zumaya (2-0) walked Howie Kendrick with the bases loaded.

Juan Rivera made it 9-6 with a two-out RBI double in the ninth, but Fernando Rodney retired Matthews to end the game.

Detroit has won two straight after losing the first four games of the six-game homestand. The Angels are 3-3 on their nine-game trip.

The Angels led 3-0 after hitting two first-inning homers. Chone Figgins led off the game with his first home run of the season, and Bobby Abreu followed with a double — the 2,000th hit of his career. Rookie Rick Porcello retired the next two batters before Rivera made it 3-0 with a drive into the left-field bullpen.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the bottom half on two singles and a walk, and Brandon Inge pulled Detroit within a run with a two-out single to right.

Detroit stranded six runners in the first three innings, but still managed to take a 4-3 lead on Adam Everett’s two-run single with the bases loaded in the third.

Porcello left after giving up a leadoff double to Morales in the sixth. Fellow rookie Ryan Perry got the first two outs, but Erick Aybar tied the game with a single to left.

The Angels chased Perry with a pair of singles to start the seventh, but Bobby Seay came in to retire Abreu, and Zumaya got Vladimir Guerrero to hit into an inning-ending double play.