OC Register: Slumping Luis Valbuena, Ian Kinsler have big nights in Angels’ victory

[AngelsWin.com]

• The Angels’ Luis Valbuena watches the flight of his solo home run – his second of the game – during the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Tigers at Comerica Park in Detroit. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Valbuena looks skyward as he crosses home plate after a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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• Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer catches a new ball as Los Angeles Angels’ Ian Kinsler rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Ian Kinsler #3 of the Los Angeles Angels rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Tropeano throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Ian Kinsler (3) is greeted by Luis Valbuena (18) and Andrelton Simmons as they scored on Kinsler’s three-run home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Ian Kinsler #3 of the Los Angeles Angels celebrates with Luis Valbuena #18 of the Los Angeles Angels after hitting a three-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout is seen in the dugout during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Tropeano throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Nick Tropeano winds up during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels third baseman Zack Cozart throws to first but overthrows to allow Detroit Tigers’ John Hicks to be safe during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Fulmer gives the ball to manager Ron Gardenhire as Fulmer is removed during the fourth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Third baseman Zack Cozart #7 of the Los Angeles Angels throws to first base on a grounder hit by John Hicks of the Detroit Tigers during the fourth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Cozart’s throw was too late to make the out. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Shortstop Jose Iglesias #1 of the Detroit Tigers throws wide of first base after fielding a grounder hit by Ian Kinsler of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Iglesias’ throw went into the Angels dugout for an error, Kinsler advanced to second base. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Ian Kinsler #3 of the Los Angeles Angels scores from second base on a single by Martin Maldonado of the Los Angeles Angels during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Jeimer Candelario #46 of the Detroit Tigers hits a solo home run against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Noe Ramirez #25 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Albert Pujols #5 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim singles against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Relief pitcher Buck Farmer #45 of the Detroit Tigers kicks at the mound after giving up a home run to Luis Valbuena of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim during the eighth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

• Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Jose Alvarez falls after catching a popup hit by Detroit Tigers’ Leonys Martin during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Angels manager Mike Scioscia signals during the seventh inning of Tuesday’s 9-2 victory against the Tigers in Detroit. Scioscia passed mentor Tommy Lasorda with his 1,600th career victory. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Martin Maldonado raises his fist after scoring on his two-run home run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Martin Maldonado (12) is congratulated by Justin Upton (8) after his two-run home run during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• Los Angeles Angels’ Luis Valbuena is congratulated after his solo home run during the eighth inning of the team’s baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

• DETROIT, MI – MAY 29: Luis Valbuena #18 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim receives a hug from Justin Upton #8 of the Los Angeles Angels after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning at Comerica Park on May 29, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

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DETROIT — Luis Valbuena and Ian Kinsler broke out of their slumps, combining for three homers and six hits to lead the Angels to a 9-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

Valbuena snapped out of an 0-for-21 skid with a second-inning RBI single, putting the game’s first run on the board. He added a pair of solo homers, his first homers since May 1.

Kinsler followed Valbuena’s RBI single in the second with a three-run homer, his first homer since May 10. Kinsler came into the game hitting .140 over his previous 24 games.

Playing in the ballpark where he spent the previous four years as a member of the Tigers, Kinsler also doubled, singled and walked.

Albert Pujols, who hadn’t been slumping to the degree of Kinsler or Valbuena, had something of a breakout, with his first three-hit game of the season.

Martín Maldonado added a two-run homer in the eighth, allowing the Angels to comfortably close out a milestone victory for Mike Scioscia. With 1,600 victories, Scioscia passed his managerial mentor, Tommy Lasorda, on the all-time list.

Angels starter Nick Tropeano also enjoyed the early cushion, cruising through four innings before allowing solo homers to Jacoby Jones and Jeimer Candelario in the fifth and sixth, respectively.

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Tropeano finished with 5-1/3 innings, allowing just two runs. He threw 99 pitches, which was seven more than he had thrown in any other start this season.

Noé Ramírez recorded the next three outs, working in and out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth, and then José Álvarez, Justin Anderson and Blake Parker finished the game.

More to come on this story.

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