Another rough night for Scot Shields

The Angels had nine relief pitchers on their roster for Wednesday night's game against the Detroit Tigers, three more than they usually carry for most of the season.

There is no strength in those numbers.

The bullpen inherited a two-run lead to start the sixth inning and was torched for six runs over the next two innings, the latest in a string of late-game meltdowns leading to a 12-10 loss to the Tigers at Angel Stadium.

Justin Speier gave up a run in the sixth, and Scot Shields was tagged for four runs in the seventh, failing to retire the four batters he faced to start the inning. Shields' earned-run average after Wednesday: 14.40.

Angels relievers have now combined for an 0-6 record and a major league-worst 8.63 ERA. Wednesday night marked the fifth time this season the bullpen had given up five earned runs or more in a game.

Shields isn't accepting some or most of the blame. The veteran setup man, one of baseball's best and most durable relievers over the last five years, is taking all of the blame.

"It's a tough situation, but it's pretty much all me," Shields said. "I take the blame for the bullpen. If it wasn't for me, I think we'd be OK. . . . There's no excuse for what's going on with me. Tonight, I thought I threw the ball all right and have to tip my hat. But I guess this is what I deserve with the way I've been pitching."

Shields was confident he had ironed out a mechanical flaw in his delivery with a weekend bullpen session in Minnesota, but his high-maintenance delivery may not be his only problem.

"There's certainly a flaw, whether it's in his mechanics or confidence level right now, Scotty is just not making pitches," Manager Mike Scioscia said.

"What makes him so good is he's almost like a gunslinger out there. He's fearless, he goes after hitters, he finds a way to make pitches. Right now, that confidence level, that presence on the mound, isn't there. But he'll get it back."

Shields says he thinks he still has that "gunslinger" mentality.

"If I start to lose that, I shouldn't be here anymore," he said. "I take pride in that. When I take the mound, I'm thinking the same way. It's just this year, the results haven't been there."

There was more bad news for the bullpen after the game when left-hander Darren Oliver, the team's most effective reliever, went on the disabled list because of a strained left triceps. Oliver is the eighth player -- and seventh pitcher -- to go on the DL this season.