Efren Navarro Hits First MLB Homer To Lead Los Angeles Angels Past Detroit Tigers

Los Angeles Angels' Efren Navarro celebrates his walk-off double during the 16th inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday, July 19, 2014, in Anaheim, Calif. The Angels won 3-2. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Efren Navarro hit his first major league homer off Justin Verlander, and Matt Shoemaker combined with two relievers on a four-hitter as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 4-0 Saturday night.

Shoemaker (8-3) threw just 78 pitches through seven innings, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out five against a lineup that came in leading the AL in batting average, hits, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The only hits off the right-hander were Ian Kinsler's first-inning double and singles by Eugenio Suarez and Austin Jackson.

Kevin Jepsen pitched a perfect eighth and Jason Grilli got the last three outs. Jepsen has allowed only one earned run over his last 31 2-3 innings and 35 appearances.

The AL Central leaders were shut out for the fifth time this season, and their division lead over Kansas City was reduced to five games.

Verlander (9-9) allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings with four strikeouts and a walk. The 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner was the latest in a series of All-Stars that Shoemaker has more than held his own against this season - including Cliff Lee, David Price, James Shields, Chris Sale and Yu Darvish. The rookie is 4-0 in those starts with a 2.27 ERA.

Navarro found the seats above the 18-foot wall in right-center on a 1-1 pitch from Verlander, who has given up at least one homer in 10 of his last 12 starts. On Friday night, Navarro singled home the go-ahead run against Drew Smyly in a 2-1 victory after the Tigers' lefty struck out eight of his first 10 batters and 11 overall.

Navarro's homer came in his 79th big league at-bat. He drove in another run during the Angels' two-run sixth as Albert Pujols scored on the rookie's grounder to shortstop. C.J. Cron followed with a double that scored Howie Kendrick.

Angels first-time All-Star Erick Aybar started in the cleanup spot for the first time in his nine-year career, going 2 for 3 with a sacrifice bunt. Left fielder Josh Hamilton sat out because of a sore left knee.

Aybar came in with 51 RBIs, the most among AL shortstops, and was 9 for 27 in his career against Verlander.

Nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter robbed Mike Trout of a hit in the first with a tumbling, shoestring catch in short right field. But Hunter's fielding error in the eighth allowed Aybar to take an extra base on a single, and he scored on Kendrick's double against Joakim Soria - making his Tigers debut following Wednesday night's trade from Texas.

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus received an automatic ejection from plate umpire Cory Blaser in the third after he came out of the dugout to argue a call that was reversed after a video review.