Tigers Turn Tables, Shell Rangers

Detroit got to Texas starter Taylor Hearn early and won its first game in the series

Texas’ dominance over Detroit ended on Saturday, as the Tigers had their best offensive game of the season in a 14-7 win over the Rangers at Comerica Park.

The Tigers had 19 hits, flipping a switch offensively after the Rangers held them to one run in the first two games of the series.

Texas (31-34) continues to find getting back to .500 difficult. The Rangers hit .500 for the first time this season on May 31. Since then the Rangers are 7-10.

The Rangers won the first two games of this series against the Tigers (25-40). Detroit has one of the worst batting averages in the Majors and was riding a six-game losing streak.

The Tigers — who had one home run in their past 13 games going into Saturday — had two home runs off Rangers starter Taylor Hearn in the bottom of the first.

Robbie Grossman’s solo home run was a de facto answer to Adolis García, who hit a two-out solo shot in the top of the first. Grossman tied the game, and a few hitters later Tigers shortstop Javier Báez gave the Tigers a 3-1 lead with a two-run shot.

Hearn settled down a bit, even though he gave up a run in the second inning. In the bottom of the fourth inning, things got away from him.

Spencer Torkelson led off with a double. Hearn then retired the next two hitters, but after that Willi Castro’s single scored Torkelson from second and Grossman got back on base with a single that deflected off Rangers shortstop Corey Seager’s glove.

After Miguel Cabrera’s single scored Castro to make it 6-1, the Rangers made a pitching change to reliever Jesus Tinoco. He gave up a three-run home run to Eric Haase for a 9-1 lead.

Hearn (4-5) gave up 10 hits, eight runs (all earned) and struck out four as his ERA ballooned to 6.25. Hearn failed to get out of the fourth inning for the first time since April 21 against Seattle, when he made it just three innings after giving up five hits and five runs. But the Rangers won that game 8-6.

The game became most notable for the 2022 debut of Rangers reliever José Leclerc, who pitched in the sixth inning after missing most of 2020 with a shoulder injury and all of 2021 with Tommy John surgery.

The Rangers overpowered the Tigers 7-0 on Friday and rallied in the ninth inning to beat the Tigers 3-1 on Thursday. But there was little offense to be found against Tigers starter Rony Garcia (1-2). Garcia, in just his seventh Major League start, was brilliant early. He gave up just one hit in the first five innings.

García went 3-for-4 and was a double away from the cycle.

The Rangers finally started getting to Garcia in the sixth. Leody Taveras doubled to lead off, followed by Zach Reks reaching first on an error and moving Taveras to third. Later, Reks reached base on an error was later changed to a single. Marcus Semien grounded into a double play, and while the Tigers got two outs the Rangers got a run, as Taveras scored.

Corey Seager then hit his 14th home run of the season, a solo shot, right after the double play. García tripled to left field, and the relay throw got past Tigers third baseman Kody Clemens, which allowed García to score on an error and make it 11-4.

Garcia’s day was done after that. He went six innings, giving up four runs and four hits while striking out five. The Tigers’ bullpen kept the Rangers in check and got extra run support after that to cruise to the victory.

The Rangers staged somewhat of a rally in the ninth off Tigers reliever Jason Foley, as the first five hitters reached base. Texas added three runs, as Nathaniel Lowe hit an RBI single, followed by an RBI single by Sam Huff. Leody Taveras hit into a double play, which scored Lowe, and Reks hit into the final out.

The Rangers end their series with Detroit on Sunday as Dane Dunning takes the hill for Texas.

The Rangers return home from Detroit for interleague play, with two games against Philadelphia on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then a three-game series with Washington starting Friday.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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