DETROIT (AP) -- Bobby Wilson's drive down the left-field line went just foul, and what could have been a five-run Los Angeles lead remained at three.
The Angels could have used those extra runs.
Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run double during a three-run eighth inning that sent the Detroit Tigers to a 5-3 victory over Los Angeles on Saturday night.
The Tigers trailed 3-0 before scoring twice in the sixth and taking the lead in their last at-bat.
"Give those guys credit," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "They put up a bunch of zeroes to stay in the game."
With men on first and third, Peralta hit a line drive just fair down the left-field line off Garrett Richards (3-3). Alex Avila then added an RBI single. Octavio Dotel (4-2) threw two scoreless innings for the win. Jose Valverde pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save in 30 chances.
Vernon Wells homered for the Angels, who had won four straight.
Dan Haren, who threw two complete games against Detroit in July 2011, went only 5 2-3 innings in this one. He allowed two runs and eight hits with seven strikeouts.
Rookie Drew Smyly allowed one earned run and four hits in six innings for the Tigers in his return from a strained muscle in his right side. He struck out six and walked two -- and caught a break when Wilson's potential two-run homer went foul in the fourth.
"Luckily, it went just foul, but people foul balls off that barely miss all the time, so you've just got to go to the next pitch and make a better one," Smyly said.
Albert Pujols missed a third straight game for the Angels with a right calf injury. Miguel Cabrera was the designated hitter for Detroit -- he's been battling right ankle soreness.
Cabrera hit a drive to deep right-center leading off the eighth, but Torii Hunter was able to make the catch after nearly overrunning the ball from right field. Hunter also took away a potential extra-base hit from Cabrera with a running catch in the opposite direction in the fourth.
The Tigers kept swinging, though, and Prince Fielder and Andy Dirks both singled before Peralta's big hit.
"They put some balls in play that were just out of the reach of guys," Richards said. "Probably, that ball that Peralta hit was up in the zone."
Smyly was starting in place of Doug Fister, who has been bothered by tightness in his right groin. He allowed a third-inning solo homer to Wells and didn't get much help from his defense after that.
Second baseman Omar Infante threw away a routine grounder by Wilson for an error later in the third, and Wilson eventually scored on Howie Kendrick's single.
The following inning, Kendrys Morales lifted a deep fly ball to center. Austin Jackson was able to run it down without too much trouble, but he ended up dropping it for his first error since June 29, 2011. Erick Aybar followed with a double to drive in Morales.
Detroit chased Haren in the sixth with an RBI double by Delmon Young and a bloop single to left by Dirks that scored Young.
"I made good pitches but they fell in," Haren said. "Felt good throughout the game. Got out of some jams, but couldn't get out of that last one."
Jordan Walden came on and got out of that jam by getting Peralta on a groundout. He also got one out in the seventh before Richards came on.
The Tigers missed a chance to score in the second when Fielder doubled to right but went sprawling past second base when Hunter's throw came in. He was tagged out, and Young followed with a double.
NOTES: Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 12 games. ... Young and Fielder both had three hits. ... Mark Trumbo struck out three times for the Angels. ... Detroit RHP Max Scherzer (13-6) starts Sunday against Los Angeles RHP Ervin Santana (7-10).
