Angels edge Tigers in game full of objections and ejections

Nineteen years ago, at a since-demolished Tiger Stadium, a rookie umpire named Mike Everitt called 16 third strikes, angered both the Angels and Tigers, and ejected both teams’ chapel leaders in a near-satirical afternoon affair.

Saturday night, at Comerica Park, about a mile east of the dated debacle, Everitt was at it again, but mostly in the Angels’ favor. Throughout their 3-2 victory, Everitt ejected four Detroit representatives: their Nos. 4 and 5 hitters, their hitting coach and their manager.

The Tigers made an array of complaints afterward; the Angels said little. “Mike Everitt was calling pitches down in the zone, it seemed like, for both guys,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. “He was going to the edges of the zone. That was what he called all night.”

Before the controversy, the Angels prepared to face Michael Fulmer, who carried a no-hit bid into the seventh inning the first time he faced them this season. The 23-year-old right-hander was not as successful Saturday, wild in his first start in eight days as the Tigers try to rest him for a potential playoff run.

Garrett Richards and Andrew Heaney, the two pitchers whose future the Angels’ depends on more than anyone not named Mike Trout, grew up a half-hour apart in the Oklahoma City suburbs. Fulmer hails from halfway between them.

Kole Calhoun began the game with a shot to second base, speared by Ian Kinsler. Trout followed by taking a high fastball, 95 mph, for a called third strike before Albert Pujols punched a hit to left field.

In the third inning, rookie Kaleb Cowart put a two-run shot into the right-field bleachers. Calhoun then singled, and Trout walked. When Pujols had a home run robbed by Justin Upton at the left-field fence, Calhoun took third and soon scored on a C.J. Cron single.

Fulmer fired Trout five changeups the third time he faced him, in the fourth inning. Trout swung at the first and fourth, but took the fifth for a called third strike. His two called strikeouts — and one suffered by Cliff Pennington — were the only undisputed called strikeouts among Everitt’s seven. The other victims were all Tigers, and they did not accept their fates kindly.

It began with catcher James McCann, who took a plainly low called third strike for the first out of the second inning. He said little or nothing on his way back to the dugout. The next inning, Miguel Cabrera argued at his ringing-up, which video replays showed was the correct call. And then Victor Martinez took issue with the first strike he saw and told Everitt as much. After an argument, Martinez was ejected. He extended it further, needing reinforcements to stay away from the umpire. From the dugout, he heaved his helmet onto the field.

Two innings later, after Kinsler was called out on strikes, Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus and hitting coach Wally Joyner were sent away. That was when the crowd began to chant derogatorily toward Everitt.

An inning later, the chants reached a refrain when J.D. Martinez was ejected. Martinez told reporters he asked Everitt if he was having a bad day. Everitt asked him what he said, and so he repeated it. And then Everitt ejected him. Martinez asked why he was ejected, and Everitt said because he made the comment twice.

The Tigers were facing journeyman left-hander Brett Oberholtzer, and Kinsler launched a home run on his fourth pitch. Three more men reached base before Oberholtzer retired anyone.

Scioscia said he stopped forcing things then, and he settled to finish three innings without yielding another run. Jhoulys Chacin, the man he replaced in the rotation, finished four scoreless innings in relief.

Two relievers secured the Angels the win, their tensest in months. “It was just one of them nights,” Trout said.

pedro.moura@latimes.com

Follow Pedro Moura on Twitter @pedromoura