Lee hits clutch double in 9th and Tigers hold on for 2-1 comeback win over Angels

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Detroit Tigers' Hao-Yu Lee, center, hits a two RBI double as Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe, right, and home plate umpire Will Little watch during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 17, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene, left, scores on a double by Hao-Yu Lee as Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe stands by during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 17, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) — Detroit Tigers' Hao-Yu Lee, center, hits a two RBI double as Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe, right, and home plate umpire Will Little watch during the ninth inning of a baseball game Friday, July 17, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Audio By Carbonatix

12:45 AM on Saturday, July 18

By MIKE DiGIOVANNA

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Hao-Yu Lee lined a two-run double with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Detroit Tigers over the Los Angeles Angels 2-1 on Friday night.

Detroit reliever Keider Montero (6-5) struck out five in 3 1/3 scoreless innings to earn the win, getting Denzer Guzman to ground out with runners on second and third to end the game.

Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle preserved the lead when he leaped to grab Oswald Peraza’s high chopper behind the bag with two on and made a long throw to first for the second out of the ninth.

Angels reliever Kirby Yates (0-5) hit a batter with a pitch to open the top of the ninth, walked another with one out and got Kerry Carpenter to fly to shallow left field for the second out. But the right-hander couldn’t put away Lee, whose clutch hit gave Detroit its 10th win in 13 games.

Angels starter Reid Detmers, a top target of contenders looking to acquire a starter before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked none in six shutout innings, effectively mixing his 95 mph fastball with an 86 mph slider and 72 mph slow curve.

Ryan Zeferjahn retired the side in order in the seventh, and Sam Bachman struck out three of four batters in a scoreless eighth for the Angels, who have lost 11 of 13.

Tigers starter Troy Melton, a 25-year-old right-hander who attended nearby Anaheim Canyon High School, allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked four in his first big league appearance at Angel Stadium.

Zach Neto's leadoff single and two walks loaded the bases for the Angels in the first, and Josh Lowe drove in Neto with a grounder to second for a 1-0 lead.

Before the game, the Angels announced they signed first-round draft pick Jared Grindlinger, a two-way standout from nearby Huntington Beach High School who will start his pro career as an outfielder.

Up next

Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (5-5, 3.09 ERA) will oppose Angels RHP Grayson Rodriguez (3-2, 7.55) on Saturday night.

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