Chacin Wins Duel With Verlander In Angels’ 5-1 Victory Vs Tigers

Jhoulys Chacin threw a four-hitter and Cliff Pennnington scored a tie-breaking RBI single during a five-run eighth inning that launched the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 5-1 home victory over the Detroit Tigers on Monday night.

Chacin Wins Duel With Verlander In Angels’ 5-1 Victory Vs Tigers

Venezuelan right-hander Chacin (1-1) and his American counterpart on the Tigers, right-hander Justin Verlander, (4-5) both retired all 27 batters they faced in the first 4 1/2 innings at Angel Stadium on Monday. Their heated pitchers’ duel continued deep into the eighth inning.

Nobody seemed to be able to get a hit off either ace until C.J. Cron’s single leading off the fifth for Los Angeles.

Aside from Andrew Romine’s two-out single in the sixth, Chacin persevered all the way to his third career complete game in his fourth start for the Angels (23-28).

“It felt great, and I’m really happy,” Chacin said. “I feel like my arm is just getting stronger, and hopefully it can stay like that the whole season.”

The Angels acquired the 28-year-old Venezuelan from Atlanta earlier this month in order to boost their injury-riddled rotation. He struck out 10 in total on Monday night.

“There’s no doubt he was hitting his spots,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. “He got a lot of called strikes and some ugly swings from some really good hitters. His command was terrific. I don’t even think he threw 20 pitches (while) behind in the count. It was unbelievable.”

Chacin fell just short of his second career shutout in his first game against Detroit when J.D. Martinez doubled and scored on Victor Martinez’s long fly in the ninth.

“When we don’t do anything offensively, it seems like it’s a lineup epidemic,” Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. “When you’re in a 0-0 game, there’s no room for error, as you saw.”

Verlander, who threw eight scoreless innings just last week against Philadelphia, gave up only one hit in the first seven innings while retiring the first 12 batters he faced. He seemed to get no support from his teammates as the Tigers (24-26) dropped their third straight game.

“It’s tough for everybody here,” Verlander said. “You never know with our lineup. We can put up runs in a hurry, so you just kind of keep waiting for the big hit. Just keep going out there and plugging along, and hoping that it happens.”

The two teams next face off again at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night.

PHOTO: ANAHEIM, CA – MAY 30: James McCann #34 of the Detroit Tigers prepares to make a throw to first base as Rafael Ortega #39 of the Los Angeles Angels slides to score a run to take a 2-0 Angel lead during the eighth inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 30, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)