Davis Daniel twirls a gem in his 1st MLB start as the Angels beat the Tigers 5-0

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Davis Daniel pitched four-hit ball over eight innings and struck out eight in his first major league start, and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-0 on Thursday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

“I told my wife this morning I didn’t sleep great. It felt like Christmas morning,” Daniel said. “Once I got to the park, I felt like I calmed down and everything felt good.”

Luis Rengifo hit a two-run homer and moved atop the American League in batting average. Miguel Sanó and Willie Calhoun also went deep for the Angels, who matched their longest winning streak of the season.

Daniel went 1-1 in three relief outings for the Angels last season. The right-hander didn’t walk a batter in his 2024 debut and retired 10 straight from the fourth inning through the seventh. He threw 98 pitches, 66 for strikes — including first-pitch strikes to 22 of the 26 batters he faced.

“He barely broke a sweat. He worked fast, threw strikes and changed speeds. That was the key,” Angels manager Ron Washington said. “It was outstanding. I don’t think you could have scripted it any better.”

The previous major leaguer to throw at least eight shutout innings with eight strikeouts or more in his first career start was Jason Jennings for Colorado in August 2001 at the New York Mets.

Daniel (1-0) was 5-4 with a 5.33 ERA in 14 starts at Triple-A Salt Lake before being called up. He moved into the rotation spot occupied by Patrick Sandoval, who tore the UCL in his left elbow and had season-ending surgery Wednesday after getting hurt on a pitch to Dodgers slugger and former teammate Shohei Ohtani last Friday.

“I think the changeup was good from the first inning. So, being able to throw that pitch with confidence I think opened up a lot of stuff. And I was able to stay in the zone,” Daniel said.

Riley Greene had two of Detroit’s four hits, but only two Tigers reached second base in a game that took just 2 hours, 5 minutes.

“Early, we did go into attack mode. When we didn’t get anything to show for it, a couple guys went away from it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We didn’t hit a ball on the barrel until the second time through. We had a hard time squaring (Daniel) up. He did a good job of staying relentless and he won the night.”

Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (5-5) had his four-game winning streak snapped after he allowed five runs on seven hits and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander had gone 4-0 and allowed only one run in 22 1/3 innings coming into the game. He took his first loss since May 23.

“Bad start. They put some good swings on some pitches. Overall, not good command of pretty much everything,” Flaherty said.

Rengifo went 2 for 4 and raised his batting average to .312 to move into the AL lead ahead of Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who is hitting .310.

Nolan Schanuel's RBI single gave the Angels a 3-0 lead in the fifth, and Rengifo connected on a full-count slider from Flaherty that was low and outside the strike zone and sent it into the right-field stands.

It was Rengifo's first homer since May 26 against Cleveland.

Sanó, activated off the injured list Tuesday after missing 50 games with left knee inflammation, led off the second with a homer to left-center. Calhoun made it 2-0 in the fourth when he drove the first pitch from Flaherty to right-center.

UP NEXT

Detroit will send RHP Kenta Maeda (2-4, 6.00 ERA) to the mound Friday. Los Angeles counters with RHP Zach Plesac (1-1, 8.68).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty looks at the scoreboard while walking to the dugout after the fifth inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel gestures after the team's win in a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto, left, and right fielder Jo Adell celebrate the team's win in a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto throws out Detroit Tigers' Carson Kelly at first during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., quarterback Bryce Young and wide receiver Diontae Johnson, from left, watch a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jack Flaherty throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Luis Rengifo runs the bases on a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Miguel Sano gestures after hitting a solo home run against the Detroit Tigers during the second inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo catches a pop ball from Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Detroit Tigers shortstop Zach McKinstry fields a ground ball hit by Los Angeles Angels' Luis Rengifo, who was out at first during the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Davis Daniel gestures during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels' Luis Rengifo celebrates his two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Davis Daniel throws during the first inning of the team's baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Thursday, June 27, 2024, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Portugal plays Slovenia on Monday in the round of 16 at the European Championship. The game kicks off at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT) at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt. The winner will advance to face Belgium or France in the quarterfinals on Friday. Here's what to know about the match:

— Portugal starts the group stage with wins over the Czech Republic and Turkey, then rests some starters in the third game and loses 2-0. Sound familiar? Portugal started Euro 2008 just as it has 16 years later. Then, Portugal did not get momentum back and was eliminated in the first knockout round — to a Germany team heading to the final. Slovenia is a different kind of test.

— Slovenia will play its first knockout game at a major tournament in 32 years as an independent soccer nation. Slovenia went home after the group stage at Euro 2000, and the World Cups of 2002 and 2010, though only the top two advanced at those tournaments.

— Slovenia started Euro 2024 the same way eventual champion Portugal did in 2016: three straight draws, no wins in the group to advance among the best third-place teams.

— Portugal already has more wins in 90 minutes at this tournament (2) than in its 2016 title-winning campaign (1).

— Frankfurt hosts its fifth and final game and is not a city where favorites thrive. So far here, Belgium lost to Slovakia, England played poorly in a draw against Denmark, and Germany needed a stoppage-time equalizer against Switzerland.

— At the 2022 World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped to the bench for the round of 16 game that Portugal won 6-1 against Switzerland. His replacement Gonçalo Ramos scored a hat trick. That was by then-coach Fernando Santos. Ronaldo is in better standing with current coach Roberto Martinez and Ramos got just 24 game minutes off the bench so far.

— Josip Iličić has not started a game for Slovenia but the 36-year-old’s return to the national team has been a positive story. The former Atalanta player’s career was derailed by depression he suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Iličić came on as a substitute in the 0-0 draw with England on Tuesday.

— This is the second most lopsided mismatch by FIFA world rankings of the round of 16. There are 51 ranking places between No. 6 Portugal and No. 57 Slovenia but 66 between No. 8 Spain and No. 74 Georgia.

— 2-0. The score Slovenia beat Portugal by in March when they played a friendly in Ljubljana.

— Slovenia lost just once in 15 games over the past year, a 2-1 defeat in Denmark last November in their qualifying group.

— Only Germany had more attempts on goal than Portugal's 54 in the group stage. Only Scotland had fewer than Slovenia's 25. Slovenia star forward Benjamin Šeško had five of those attempts without scoring yet.

— Portugal defender Pepe continues to extend his tournament record as the oldest-ever player. He will be aged 41 years and 126 days on Monday.

— Cristiano Ronaldo, who turned 39 in February, will set the record as the oldest ever scorer if and when he gets his first goal at Euro 2024. The record is held by Luka Modric, scoring against Italy on Monday at age 38 years and 289 days.

— "He’s going to be very good for this knockout phase of the tournament, and I hope — or I’m sure —that he’ll give us a lot of joy.” — Pepe praises Ronaldo

— “Two years ago, we played against Serbia and we lost 4-1 in Belgrade. This was a turning point and since then we’ve only grown as a team.” — Slovenia midfielder Adam Gnezda Čerin

AP Euro 2024: https://apnews.com/hub/euro-2024

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban talks with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin prior to the start of a Group A match between Germany and Hungary at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

Slovenia's players celebrate after a Group C match against England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

England's Marc Guehi, left, and Slovenia's Benjamin Sesko fight for the ball during a Group C match at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

England's Marc Guehi, front, and Slovenia's Josip Ilicic fight for the ball during a Group C match between England and Slovenia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo gestures after Georgia's Georges Mikautadze scored his side's second goal during a Group F match between Georgia and Portugal at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday, June 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Slovenia's players celebrate at the end of a Group C match between the England and Slovenia at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Cologne, Germany, Tuesday, June 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, left, and Portugal's Pepe warm up prior of a Group F match between Turkey and Portugal at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Dortmund, Germany, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)