Torii Hunter homers, Angels snap skid and avoid sweep with 4-2 win over Detroit

Hunter’s early homer leads Angels past Tigers 4-2

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Torii Hunter hit an early two-run homer, Joe Saunders pitched five effective innings in his return to the Angels’ rotation and Los Angeles snapped its three-game skid with a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.

Kendry Morales and Chone Figgins added run-scoring hits for Los Angeles, the only major league club without four straight losses. The AL West-leading Angels also avoided being swept at home for the first time since June 2007 and prevented Detroit’s first road sweep of the Angels since August 1993.

Hunter connected for his 18th homer in the first inning against Edwin Jackson (10-6), who took his first loss since July 19.

Adam Everett hit a two-run homer for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who had won eight of 12.

Saunders (10-7) was cool in the 97-degree Orange County heat while making his first start since Aug. 7, after which he went on the disabled list with a sore shoulder. The left-hander had been struggling for over a month before his DL stint, but the Angels’ opening day starter allowed four hits and two walks while striking out six.

Four Los Angeles relievers collaborated on four scoreless innings. In his first appearance in eight days, closer Brian Fuentes hit two batters but hung on for his 36th save in 41 chances.

Aside from Hunter’s homer, Los Angeles got back to manufacturing its offense with hits, walks and sharp baserunning in the style that’s worked so well for a club with eight starters hitting at least .293 entering the day. The Angels stole five bases against Detroit, matching a season high.

Figgins even appeared to steal home after Hunter’s strikeout in the seventh inning, but third-base umpire Chad Fairchild had called time on the field. Angels manager Mike Scioscia argued to no avail.

Miguel Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a sixth-inning double, but went 1 for 4. The Detroit slugger was 6 for 10 with two homers and seven RBIs in the first two games.

Jackson yielded eight hits and four walks in 6 1-3 innings during his first loss in seven starts.

Hunter extended his hitting streak to 12 games. The Angels’ clubhouse leader has a hit in every game since returning from a month on the disabled list last week, and he reached base three times in the series finale.

Morales and Figgins had RBI singles before Everett halved the Angels’ lead in the fifth with just his third homer of the season.

NOTES: The Tigers sent RHP Armando Galarraga back to Triple-A Toledo for a 10-day stint to rest his inflamed pitching elbow. Nate Robertson, out since late June with a left elbow injury, will be recalled to start for Detroit on Saturday against Tampa Bay. … Umpire Tim Welke missed his second straight game after getting hit in the mask with a foul tip Monday night. Delfin Colon again replaced him. … Vladimir Guerrero’s fifth-inning single was his 1,000th hit with the Angels. He’s the eighth player to get 1,000 hits in the franchise’s 49 seasons.