Jonah Heim Drives Rangers Victory at Tigers

Catcher logs home run and three RBI as Texas takes early lead and cruises on the road

The Texas Rangers didn’t need late heroics on Friday against Detroit. They just needed a big night at the plate from catcher Jonah Heim.

Heim went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in the Rangers’ 7-0 win over the Tigers, giving the Texas its second straight win in the four-games series.

Texas (31-33) is now two games under .500 and, with two more wins in Detroit (24-40), could get back to .500 for the second time this season. The Rangers have 17 road wins, a feat they didn’t reach last season until Sept. 5.

Lately, the Rangers only seem to win dramatic games. Texas’ last four wins were decided in the eighth inning or later. That included the Rangers’ 3-1 win over Detroit in the series opener on Thursday, as Ezequiel Duran drove in three runs on a triple in the top of the ninth.

This time, the Rangers didn’t waste any time, scoring five runs in the first five innings and cruised from there.

Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal (5-4) was behind from the start, giving up three first-inning runs and leaving the game after five innings in a 5-0 hole. He gave up eight hits and two walks, along with four strikeouts.

Heim did all of his damage against Skubal. His double down the left-field line in the first inning scored Corey Seager and Adolis García to give Texas a 3-0 lead. It was great run support for Rangers starter Jon Gray before he even took the mound.

“It really is,” Gray told Bally Sports Southwest after the game. “Besides the 20-30 minute wait you’ll take that every time.”

Then, in the fifth, Heim basically put an end to Skubal’s night with an opposite-field home run to right field, his eighth long ball this season.

“I was just trying to battle,” Heim said. “He had good stuff tonight. I think it was a little wind-aided but I’ll take it.” 

Gray (2-3) was masterful for the second straight start. He threw seven shutout innings, scattering five hits and striking out six while dropping his ERA to 4.27. He stranded four Tigers baserunners. He has now had back-to-back quality starts.

“Jon is phenomenal,” Heim said. “I was excited when I found out he was coming here. I knew his track record and his stuff and he put it all together. He was locating his pitches.”

Brett Martin threw a scoreless eighth and Garrett Richards threw a scoreless ninth for Texas in relief of Gray.

The Rangers scored two more runs in the sixth inning. Charlie Culberson singled home Ezequiel Duran, while García’s sacrifice fly scored Culberson. Both runs came off Tigers reliever Will Vest.

The Rangers continue their series with Detroit on Saturday as Taylor Hearn 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.

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