Guerrero's homer highlights big 4th as Angels fend off Tigers

DETROIT (AP) -- Ervin Santana didn't spend the pregame Friday night worrying about his past troubles at Comerica Park.

He claimed he didn't remember them.

Ignorant -- or not -- of his 15.26 ERA in Detroit, Santana limited the Tigers to three runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings to lead the Los Angeles to a 4-3 win.

"I don't even know what I've ever done here before," Santana said. "Was it bad?"

Santana didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning in improving to 4-0. Three of his wins have come on the road after entering the season with a 10-21 record away from home.

"We've never worried about that internally," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We know that if we get his mechanics right, he's going to be fine no matter where he is pitching."

Los Angeles got all four runs in the fourth inning off Nate Robertson (0-3), including a two-run homer by Vladimir Guerrero.

"I really don't know what to say about him -- he's a freak of nature," Robertson said. "I threw everything I had in that at-bat, and he still hit it out. He's good."

The Tigers were coming off a three-game sweep of Texas in which they scored 37 runs, but didn't have nearly as much success against Santana.

"That's good pitching, that's what happens," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Santana's really good. He's throwing more strikes than he used to. We had a shot at him, but we just couldn't get that one hit."

Justin Speier escaped jams in the seventh and eighth innings, and Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 tries.

Santana and Robertson cruised through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth.

Chone Figgins led off the Angels' half with a double and Guerrero made it 2-0 with his third home run. Torii Hunter followed with a double and Los Angeles loaded the bases with a single and a walk before Casey Kotchman hit a two-run single.

"The only pitches I'd like back are the changeup I got up to Torii and I fell behind Figgins and he doubled," Robertson said. "Kotchman -- that was a fastball on the inner third that he didn't get a good lick on, but it went up the middle."

Curtis Granderson led off the bottom half with his second homer of the season, and Magglio Ordonez made it 2-0 with an RBI groundout later in the inning.

The Tigers closed to 4-3 in the sixth. With the bases loaded, Miguel Cabrera beat out what would have been an inning-ending double play to drive in a run.

Detroit loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh and Speier retired Gary Sheffield on a liner to the warning track in left-center field. The Tigers put two runners on base in the eighth and Speier got Ivan Rodriguez on a lineout to Kotchman at first base.

"We got a little lucky there. They squared up both of those balls, but Torii and Kotch were there," Scioscia said.

Rodriguez slammed his bat in disgust as Kotchman made the catch, knowing that was probably Detroit's last chance to keep their four-game winning streak alive.

"Pudge hit a bullet and Sheff just missed hitting one out," Leyland said. "It was a very good ballgame. We just got beat."

Game notes
The Angels made a pair of roster moves after the game to bolster to their bullpen, which is short-handed due to Chris Bootcheck's viral infection. Los Angeles optioned infielders Sean Rodriguez and Kendry Morales to Triple-A Salt Lake, and recalled relievers Jose Arredondo and Rich Thompson. ... Sheffield played for the first time since April 19 due to chronic shoulder problems. Carlos Guillen, who is scheduled to move to third base, missed his second straight game with a bruised knee.