ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The day after the Detroit Tigers traded for Texas Rangers closer Joakim Soria, Joe Nathan made a point of showing why he is still manager Brad Ausmus No. 1 option in the ninth inning. Nathan struck out the side on 12 pitches to secure Max Scherzers 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series between two of the top three teams in the majors. The six-time All-Star posted his 21st save in 26 chances after Joba Chamberlain gave up a run on Josh Hamiltons sacrifice fly in the eighth. "Honestly, I just thought of tonight as just another game," Nathan said. "I didnt look at it as anything more important than going out and trying to get a W for us. "Its not about individuals. Its about this team winning. So there was really no concern on my part about going out there and making sure I got it done so that I could stay where Im at. Its up to Brad to make decisions like that, so Im just going to go out and compete when they allow me to." Nick Castellanos drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a double in the sixth inning against Garrett Richards and Scherzer won his fourth straight decision. Scherzer (12-3) tied teammate Rick Porcello and New Yorks Masahiro Tanaka for the league lead in wins. He allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings and struck out 11. It was the fourth time this season and 22nd in his career that the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner had double digits in strikeouts. "Richards is a great pitcher and hes been having an awesome year, so you know you have to bring your A game," Scherzer said. "I felt good with everything tonight and had all four pitches going. I hadnt been getting the swings and misses I had been searching for with that pitch, so I made a little adjustment with my grip. Tonight I felt like I had a lot more consistency with it and a lot more downward action." Scherzer, the winning pitcher in the All-Star game, is 4-0 with a 2.21 ERA in six starts since giving up 10 runs over four innings in an 11-4 home loss to Kansas City on June 17. That came just five days after the seven-year veteran posted his first complete game and shutout in the major leagues with a three-hitter against the Chicago White Sox. Richards (11-3) allowed four runs and seven hits over six innings with five strikeouts and two walks. The right-hander was 7-0 with a 1.25 ERA over his previous nine starts following a 9-5 loss at Oakland on May 30. "His command was a little bit off early, although his velocity was good and his movement was terrific," manager Mike Scioscia said. "His slider was there, but he just got some pitches in some zones where those guys caught up to it." Scherzer made 30 of his 103 pitches during a three-run fifth that put the Angels ahead 3-1. C.J. Cron beat out a broken-bat single in the hole to shortstop Eugenio Suarez to drive in Howie Kendrick, and Kole Calhoun hit a broken-bat single to right field to score David Freese and Cron. "It was a real challenge facing them in the fifth," Scherzer said. "They put together some really good at-bats against me. They grinded it out, kept fouling pitches off and they were able to capitalize on a couple of mistakes. They kept finding ways to put the ball in play and keep that inning going." The Tigers responded with three runs in the sixth. Richards gave up hits to the first four batters, including Torii Hunters RBI double to left-centre and Castellanos two-run double to the same spot. "I cannot say he was hittable. It was not fun," Hunter said. "I mean, he made some mistakes with his curveball, and we live off mistakes. We dont live off pitchers pitches. Garrett is filthy, and its not fun facing him at all. So hopefully, I hope I dont face him every again." Ian Kinsler increased Detroits margin to 5-3 in the sixth with an RBI double against Jason Grilli, and Austin Jackson added an RBI single in the eighth off Fernando Salas. The Tigers scratched out a run in the third on a groundout by Kinsler after Suarez drew a leadoff walk, Rajai Davis singled and both runners advanced on a wild pitch that bounced off Congers chest protector. NOTES: Among the crowd of 40,146 was reality TVs Vicki Gunvalson, one of the original "Real Housewives of Orange County." ... Soria met his new teammates before the game. Hunter remembered the two-time All-Star as a tough adversary. "It was a battle, man," Hunter said. "Before the surgery he had a 93 mile-an-hour fastball that looked like it was 97 or a hundred and was pretty sneaky. He was good at hitting the outside corner, his curveball was pretty good, and he wasnt afraid to throw it at any count. He throw strikes and he works fast. So to have him over here, Im going to love it." ... Scherzer is 10 strikeouts from becoming the 16th pitcher to get at least 1,000 in a Tigers uniform. Robyn Regehr Jersey . Ozuna hit Reeds 2-2 pitch off the batters eye far above the 407-foot sign in straightaway centre. It was the fifth blown save in 25 tries for Reed (1-5) and the ninth home run the closer has allowed in 38 appearances. Nuno, acquired in the deal that sent Brandon McCarthy to the New York Yankees, gave up three hits, struck out a career-high seven and walked one in seven innings. Tiger Williams Jersey . The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18. http://www.kingsauthentic.com/ . Berdych and Stepanek played all five matches when the Czechs beat Spain 3-2 in the final last November in Prague to win the countrys first title as an independent nation. Marty Mcsorley Jersey . The group of Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, Vladimir Konstantinov, Sergei Fedorov, & Slava Kozlov were a dominant force for The Wings at one point in the 90s. Luc Robitaille Jersey . - The first sign that Kansas Speedway was going to be a heartbreaker for Hendrick Motorsports should have come during qualifying when Jimmie Johnson inexplicably spun and earned one of his worst starting spots since 2005.WASHINGTON - For the moment, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo plans to head into next season with newly acquired Yunel Escobar at second base and possible free-agent-to-be Ian Desmond at shortstop.That does not mean Desmond definitely wont be traded, if the right offer came along.Our approach with Ian Desmond has not changed one bit since the end of last season. Ian Desmond is our shortstop. Hes a leader of our team. Hes one of the best shortstops in all of baseball. And hes going to be the shortstop of the Washington Nationals, Rizzo said Thursday during a conference call with reporters.With that said, (for) Ian Desmond — or any other player on the roster — if a deal comes up that we cant refuse, well always look to improve ourselves for 2015 and beyond, he said.Heading into this off-season, Desmond was one of five key players for the Nationals who could become free agents after the next World Series. Another was reliever Tyler Clippard, dealt Wednesday to Oakland for Escobar.Escobar, who hit only .258 for Tampa Bay last season, has been a shortstop most of his career. He started 20 games at second base for Atlanta in 2007.We see Yuni as being an above-average defender at shortstop and at second base. He has been his entire career, except for last year, Rizzo said, explaining that limitations Escobar had in 2014 at shortstop for the Rays were due to shoulder and quadriceps problems that are now fine.We have no qualms about his defence, Rizzo added.Asked about Escobars three-game suspension in 2012 for wearing eye black displaying an anti-gay slur while plaaying for the Blue Jays, Rizzo said: Were not going to be an apologist for poor behaviour.dddddddddddd But that was years ago and when he was a younger kid. We believe he has matured. ... We vetted him quite a bit.With Escobars arrival filling the Nationals need for a starting second baseman, Danny Espinosa will move to a vital bench role, Rizzo said.As for Clippard, a two-time NL All-Star, Rizzo called him maybe the best eighth-inning setup man in the history of the game.Rizzo said hes thinks Washington can replace the right-hander with someone already in the organization. If not, there could be another move.Were not ruling out adding any more personnel via trades or via free agents or minor league free agents, Rizzo said. Were still a month away from the start of spring training and, believe me, were not taking any vacations or anything like that.NOTES: The Nationals avoided arbitration with four players by agreeing to one-year contracts — $3.55 million for C Wilson Ramos; $2.25 million for RHP Craig Stammen; $1.8 million for 2B Danny Espinosa, with performances bonuses of $25,000 each at 200, 250, 300 and 350 plate appearances; and $1.2 million for C Jose Lobaton. Ramos hit .267 with 11 homers and 47 RBIs for the NL East champions last season, when he made $2,115,000. Stammen, mostly a middle-innings reliever, was 4-5 with a 3.84 ERA in 49 appearances in 2014, when he earned $1.35 million. Espinosa batted .219 with eight homers and 27 RBIs, while earning $540,850. Lobaton, Ramos backup, hit .234 with two homers and 12 RBIs; he made $950,000. 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