For the second straight game the Detroit Tigers jumped on the Texas Rangers early, but the Rangers rallied to make it close before losing, 9-8, on Sunday at Globe Life Field.
The Rangers (58-69), after winning the series opener, 7-6, scored just two runs in their 11-2 loss to Detroit on Saturday. The inability to score runs followed them to Sunday’s matinee, at least early, where Tigers starter Drew Hutchison (2-6) held the Rangers to four hits before leaving the game with one out in the sixth inning.
The Tigers looked like they had the game well in hand, up 9-0 at one point. But the Rangers closed to within a run in the bottom of the ninth.
In the ninth, Ezequiel Duran walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, scored on a double by Marcus Semien and then Semien scored on Corey Seager’s second home run of the game, which cut the Tigers’ lead to one run. Nathaniel Lowe singled back to relief pitcher Gregory Soto, and the Tigers made a pitching change with one out.
After Joe Jimenez entered the game for the Tigers, García struck out swinging. Kole Calhoun — who homered earlier in the game — flew out to end the game.
The Rangers got back-to-back solo home runs from Seager and Lowe in the bottom of the sixth inning. García, who entered the game with a 23-game hitting streak, went 0-for-3 with two walks to see that streak come to an end.
The Rangers put up three runs in the bottom of the eighth, capped by Calhoun’s two-run home run off Tigers reliever Alex Lange.
Hutchison’s mastery of the Rangers for the Tigers (50-78) contrasted against Rangers starter Kohei Arihara (1-2), as he left the game in the fourth inning having given up six runs and eight hits, a far cry from his last start against the Minnesota Twins, where he and Taylor Hearn combined for a shutout.
Jeimer Candelario hit the Tigers’ only home run, a two-run shot. He was one of five Tigers with at least two hits. Kerry Carpenter had three, while Riley Greene, Victor Reyes and Harold Castro had two each.
The Rangers have the day off on Monday before hosting the Houston Astros for a two-game series starting on Tuesday. Dane Dunning will start on Tuesday for Texas while Martín Pérez will start on Wednesday.
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