DETROIT -- Bud Norris couldn't have put himself in a tighter spot.

The Los Angeles Angels closer allowed the Detroit Tigers to load the bases with two outs in the ninth inning Tuesday, then fell behind 3-0 to Alex Avila.

Norris needed to make three perfect pitches to wriggle out of the jam, and he pulled it off. He struck out Avila looking to snuff out the threat, and the Angels snapped the Tigers' four-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory on at Comerica Park.

Avila fouled off two fastballs before watching a slider go by.

"Those (first) two pitches are big because you throw it down the heart of the plate and the game could be over," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "You walk him and you're playing with fire with the next guy. He had to make good pitches and got a foul tip, a foul ball and then a backdoor slider for strike three. He was able to execute some pitches."

C.J. Cron, who was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday after an eight-game stint in the minors, hit a two-run homer.

"There's no doubt since he came back from the minor leagues there's a confidence level," Scioscia said. "The swings are better. He can give us a big boost if he starts swinging the bat to his capability."

Kole Calhoun homered and drove in two runs for the Angels (30-31), who are 4-4 since franchise player Mike Trout tore a thumb ligament. Jesse Chavez (5-6) gave up two runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings while collecting the victory.

Chavez pitched five scoreless innings but couldn't get out of the sixth, when he gave up four hits. He blamed his troubles on mechanical issues pitching out of the stretch.

"I think I beat myself in that sixth inning, and that was just getting a little bit too quick," he said. "It's kind of been the MO -- cruising to the sixth and then getting in that little rut."

Avila had two hits, including a solo homer, and scored twice for the Tigers (28-29).

"Well, they didn't quit, there's no question about that," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said of his players. "(In the ninth, Alex) Presley and (Jose) Iglesias got on base, and (Ian) Kinsler followed with a walk. All the way to the end, we had a shot. They didn't let up."

Losing pitcher Daniel Norris (2-4) gave up four runs (three earned) on five hits while striking out seven in six innings. Daniel Norris issued three walks in the third inning.

"Again, the stuff was good. The command was what caused him issues, and caused the pitch count to get up," Ausmus said. "If he can control the ball, and keep the ball down, he probably pitches seven innings."

Kinsler, activated off the 10-day disabled list prior to the game after recovering from a hamstring strain, was 1-for-4 with a walk.

The Tigers, down 4-0 in the sixth, scored twice on Avila's ninth homer and Justin Upton's RBI single.

Calhoun's sacrifice fly in the seventh gave Los Angeles a 5-2 advantage.

J.D. Martinez's sacrifice fly in the eighth made it a two-run game.

Calhoun's ninth home run of the season, an opposite-field shot that snuck over the left-field wall, put the Angels on top in the first.

Cron's second home run of the season, a no-doubter to left, followed a leadoff double by Yunel Escobar to make it 3-0 in the fourth.

An error by Tigers center fielder Presley allowed Los Angeles' fourth run to score in the fifth. Following a one-out single by Andrelton Simmons, Calhoun smacked a single that skipped past Presley and allowed Simmons to come all the way around.

NOTES: The Tigers optioned CF JaCoby Jones to Triple-A Toledo. ... Detroit C James McCann (stitches on left hand) was sent to Toledo for a couple rehab games before he is activated from the 10-day disabled list. ... Detroit RHP Justin Verlander had a clean MRI on Monday after departing Sunday's start in the third inning because of right groin tightness. However, Verlander's next start remains up in the air. His bullpen session Wednesday or Thursday will determine whether he'll make his next scheduled start in Boston this weekend. ... Angels RHP Cam Bedrosian (right groin strain) will make at least one more rehab appearance with Class A Inland Empire before he comes off the DL. ... Los Angeles RHP Huston Street threw a bullpen session Tuesday and will resume his rehab stint with Triple-A Salt Lake later this week. He was sidelined with a right lat strain during spring training, then suffered a setback during his rehab because of right triceps tightness.