Max Scherzer has 9 Ks as Tigers beat Angels 5-1

DETROIT — Max Scherzer struck out nine and got plenty of run support as Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila homered to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 Thursday.

Detroit won the four-game series and has 10 victories in its last 12 games. The Angels have won just five of their last 13 games.

Scherzer (9-5) gave up only one run — on Mike Trout’s homer in the sixth inning — three hits and four walks over seven innings.

Jerome Williams (6-7) allowed five runs and nine hits over six-plus innings. Williams has lost five straight starts for the first time in his career.

Prince Fielder provided a spark with his bat and hustle in the second inning. He hit a flare down the left-field line and rumbled to second, sliding ahead of the tag. Fielder scored the game’s first run on Jhonny Peralta’s two-out double and Avila made it 3-0 on the next pitch with his sixth home run.

Danny Worth’s RBI double brought Peralta home for a four-run cushion in the fourth inning. Cabrera cracked a pitch to left for his 21st homer to put Detroit ahead 6-0 in the fifth.

Trout struck out in his first two at-bats against Scherzer, then struck back with his 14th homer in the sixth to allow the Angels to avoid being shut out. The hot-hitting rookie has scored in 11 straight games, pulling within two of matching the franchise-record streak set by Jim Edmonds in 1995.

That wasn’t enough against Scherzer and the suddenly rolling Tigers in the Motor City.

After Scherzer’s strong start, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde combined to pitch two perfect innings.

Since beating Detroit 13-0 Tuesday night, the Angels were outscored 12-3.

NOTES: Albert Pujols went 0 for 3 with a walk as the Angels’ DH because manager Mike Scioscia didn’t want to risk having him and his banged-up left foot in the field. ... Both teams are set to host teams leading their division. Detroit begins a three-game series against the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Friday night, with its ace, Justin Verlander, and Jake Peavy scheduled to start. Angels ace Jered Weaver will face AL West-leading Texas, whose probable pitcher is Derek Holland in the series opener Friday night. ... Williams was 6-2 before losing his last five starts. ... Detroit DH Delmon Young went 0 for 4 to end his 10-game hitting streak.