ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Tim Salmon's hand injury gave switch-hitting Scott Spiezio a chance to bat third for the first time this season, and he didn't disappoint.

Spiezio and Garret Anderson hit consecutive homers, and Kevin Appier pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning as the Anaheim Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 7-0 Monday night.

"It was fun to have the opportunity to hit third tonight and have some success in that spot," Spiezio said. "The guys were giving me a lot of junk about it before the game, saying `You're the only No. 3 hitter with six home runs.' They told me to keep the lineup card, frame it and send it to the Hall of Fame."

The Angels' third straight victory and 11th shutout of the season increased their lead in the AL wild card race to a full game over Boston and 2½ games over Oakland. Anaheim trails Seattle by two games in the West.

Appier (10-9) struck out three and walked four in 6 2-3 innings against Detroit - last in the AL in walks, runs, homers and on-base percentage.

"He has to lick his chops when the Tigers come to town," Detroit right fielder Robert Fick said after Appier improved his record against Detroit to 13-8.

"He's real deceptive and he definitely keeps you off-balance. Just when you think you know what he's going to throw you, he throws you something complete different. But he's been doing it for so long, that's his game."

Appier gave up a two-out single and two walks in the seventh before Al Levine struck out Brandon Inge. Levine and Steve Shields combined to finish the four-hitter, sending the Tigers to their seventh shutout.

The Tigers also tied a season high with three errors and raised their season total to a major league-leading 102, surpassing the New York Mets.

"Everybody had a problem tonight," losing pitcher Mark Redman said. "I didn't have my A stuff, and the boys had a little trouble behind me. This just means I can get rid of the game socks I've been using for two months. They've been getting some holes in them."

Redman (7-10) was charged with six runs - five earned - and nine hits in four-plus innings after allowing no more than two earned runs in any of his previous six starts. He failed to retire any of the four batters he faced during a five-run fifth that increased Anaheim's lead to 7-0.

One pitch after Darin Erstad's leadoff triple off Fick's glove, Spiezio hit his seventh homer and eight of his career against the Tigers - the most he's had against any team. Anderson then homered into the right field seats for his 20th of the season and 88th RBI.

Anderson is leading the Angels in home runs and RBIs and batting average (.313). The only players in club history to lead the team in all three categories while playing in at least 100 games were Wally Joyner (1987), Rick Reichardt (1968) and Chili Davis - who played in 108 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season.

"That's what I've been trying to do the last three or four years - become more of a complete hitter. And I'm just starting to reap the benefits of all that work that I've been putting in," said Anderson, who played in his first All-Star game last month. "I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm just hoping to keep up that pace."

Redman walked his last batter, Troy Glaus, and Shawn Wooten greeted reliever Adam Bernero with a single. Benji Gil followed with what appeared to be a double-play grounder to third, but second baseman Damian Jackson missed a perfect throw from Chris Truby, allowing Glaus to score from second. Alex Ochoa capped the rally with an RBI single.

The Angels opened the scoring in the first with a leadoff triple by David Eckstein, followed by Erstad's sacrifice fly. They added another run in the third when Spiezio singled, took third on Anderson's league-leading 45th double and continued home as Fick misplayed the ball in the right-field corner for his fifth error.

"I wanted to try to get him at second, but it just got away from me," Fick said. "It hit the wall, and when it hit the ground again, it kind of came up on me. But that's no excuse. I should have had it."

Notes: Salmon missed his second game after getting hit on the left hand Saturday by a pitch from Toronto's Steve Parris. ... Redman, who has the second-worst run support in the AL, is 0-3 lifetime against Anaheim with a 6.26 ERA. His 10-1 loss to the Angels on May 15 was the last of his six straight losing decisions to start the season (eight starts). ... Tigers RHP Julio Santana underwent an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his sore elbow, the results of which won't be known until Tuesday morning.

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