GAME THREAD: How Rangers Beat Tigers on Friday Night
In this story:
The Texas Rangers return to Globe Life Field to start a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers on Friday night at 7:05 p.m..
The Rangers continue the series on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. and wrap up the series at 1:35 p.m. on Sunday.
Texas is 6-4 since Tony Beasley took over as interim manager in the wake of the firing of Chris Woodward. The long-time Rangers’ third-base coach is auditioning for the full-time job in 2023. The Rangers are likely thinking about potential candidates but have stated they don’t expect to start a full-scale search until the season ends.
Texas is coming off a blistering 16-4 win over Colorado on Wednesday. In that game, the Rangers saw a fourth player — Nathaniel Lowe — reach 20 home runs for the season, giving the Rangers more 20-home run players than any team in Major League Baseball. And, with a batting average of .295 going into the Tigers series, Lowe is the one Ranger that can end the team’s half-dozen year drought without a qualifying .300 hitter.
Also during the road trip, Adolis García became the fifth player in the Majors this season to have a hit streak of at least 20 games. He has a 21-game hitting streak going into Friday’s game. He also has 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, and with the hit streak he’s the first Rangers 20/20/20 player since Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez did it in 1999.
The other two Rangers with 20 or more home runs are Marcus Semien and Corey Seager, the latter of which leads the Rangers with 26, which matches his career high for a single season.
Scroll down to get ready for tonight’s game.
Detroit Tigers (48-77) at Texas Rangers (57-67)
August 26, 2022, Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas, 7:05 p.m. (CDT)
Starting Pitchers
TEX: Glenn Otto (5-8, 4.66)
Vs.
DET: Tyler Alexander (3-7, 4.03)
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Rangers Pre-Game Transactions:
P Cole Ragans was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left calf strain.
P Dallas Keuchel is on the taxi squad today and scheduled to start on Saturday vs. Detroit.
Rangers Injury List:
P Cole Ragans (15-day, left calf strain), placed on Aug. 26, retroactive to Aug. 23. Eligible to return on Sept. 7.
P Jon Gray (15-day, left oblique strain), placed on Aug. 2. He is eligible to return, but his recovered was expected to take 4-6 weeks.
P Spencer Howard (15-day, right shoulder impingement), placed on Aug. 10 (retroactive to Aug. 8), eligible to be activated.
P Joe Barlow (15-day, right index finger blister), placed on Aug. 19 (retroactive to Aug. 18). Eligible to be activated on Sept. 2. Note: This is the second time Barlow has been on the injured list due to a blister in the past two months.
OF Eli White (60-day, right wrist fracture), placed on June 13. He is expected to return at some point this season.
C Mitch Garver (60-day, right forearm flexor tendon repair surgery), placed on July 11. He is not expected to return this season.
Follow the Game
TV
Rangers – Bally Sports Southwest
Tigers – Bally Sports Detroit
Radio/Internet
Rangers – KRLD 1080-AM (Cowboys on 105.3 The Fan), KFLC 1270
Tigers – WXYT 97.1-FM
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Texas Rangers Starting Lineup
1. 2B Marcus Semien
2. SS Corey Seager
3. DH Nathaniel Lowe
4. RF Adolis García
5. C Jonah Heim
6. CF Leody Taveras
7. DH Mark Mathias
8. 3B Ezequiel Duran
9 LF Bubba Thompson
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Detroit Tigers Starting Lineup
1. CF Riley Greene
2. RF Victor Reyes
3. SS Javier Báez
4. 1B Harold Castro
5. DH Miguel Cabrera
6. 2B Willi Castro
7. C Eric Haase
8. 3B Jeimer Candelario
9. LF Akil Baddoo
Top of First
Glenn Otto (TEX) pitching
The Tigers led off the game with center fielder Riley Greene. He hit an opposite-field flare to Rangers left fielder Bubba Thompson for the first out. Right fielder Victor Reyes struck out on three pitches but strike three was in the dirt and got away from Rangers catcher Jonah Heim, which allowed Reyes to get to first base. Otto was charged with a wild pitch and that put a runner on for Tigers shortstop Javier Báez. He struck out on a foul tip. Tigers first baseman Harold Castro swung and connected on the first pitch, flying out to Thompson for the final out. Rangers 0, Tigers 0.
Bottom of First
Tyler Alexander (DET) pitching
Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien led off against Alexander, who went to TCU before being drafted in the second round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Semien drew a five-pitch walk to set up shortstop Corey Seager. He grounded into a 3-6-3 double play, with Castro sparking it with a nice pivot to make the throw to second. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who has the Rangers’ best batting average at .295, and he took the first pitch deep to center field for his 21st home run of the season, giving Texas the lead. It was his second home run in as many games, as he hit one against Colorado on Wednesday. Adolis García ended the inning by becoming Alexander’s first strikeout victim. Rangers 1, Tigers 0
Top of Second
Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera led off the inning and he popped out to Heim behind the plate for the first out. Second baseman Willi Castro was next, and he grounded out to Semien at second base. Catcher Eric Haase followed with a pop-out to Rangers third baseman Ezequiel Duran to retire the side in order. Rangers 1, Tigers 0.
Bottom of Second
Rangers catcher Jonah Heim led off by popping out to Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario. Center fielder Leody Taveras worked Alexander for a single up the middle for his first hit of the game. Mark Mathias, in the lineup as the designated hitter, singled up the middle on a line drive that moved Taveras to second base. Duran then hit his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot to left field, which put the Rangers up by four runs. Thompson continued the run for the Rangers with a single after showing bunt. That took the Rangers back to the top of the order, with Semien at the plate with one out. Thompson stole on the second pitch to Semien, and with that he had his seventh swipe of the season (he’s 7-for-7 as a Major Leaguer). Semien later struck out. Seager followed deep into the hole at second base, where Castro fielded it and threw out Seager at first. Rangers 4, Tigers 0.
Top of Third
Candelario doubled to lead off the inning, helped by Taveras’ inability to cut off a hit to the gap between left and center field. Thompson backed up the play to limit Candelario to two bases. Tigers left fielder Akil Baddoo grounded out to Semien at second base, which allowed Candelario to move to third base and for the Tigers to move back to the top of the order. Greene poked through a base hit between Duran and Seager on the left side of the infield, which scored Candelario. Reyes walked on four pitches. Báez represented the tying run for the Tigers, oddly enough. Otto nearly got out of the inning. He forced Báez to ground into what could have been an inning-ending double play. Seager shoveled the ball to Semien at second to force out Reyes, but Báez beat out Semien’s throw to keep the inning alive and put runners at the corners with two outs. Castro hit a line drive into center field for a base hit to score Greene from third. Báez moved up to third, as he ran on the crack of the bat. Cabrera hit a weak ground ball to Otto for the third out. Rangers 4, Tigers 2.
Bottom of Third
Lowe led off by flying out to Greene in center. García then extended his hit streak to 22 games with a slow rolling ground ball to Candelario at third base, who had no play at first. With Heim at the plate, García stole second base to put himself in scoring position. Heim then popped out to Candelario for the second out of the inning. Taveras then slugged an RBI single to left, which scored García and pushed the Rangers’ lead back to three runs. Mathias then hit an opposite-field home run to score Taveras and push the Rangers’ lead to five runs. It was his third home run since joining the organization earlier this month. Duran struck out looking, but the damage was done. Rangers 7, Tigers 2.
Top of Fourth
Castro was the first out of the inning, as he grounded out to Semien for the second time. Haase struck out looking. Candelario ended the inning with a groundout to Duran at third base. Rangers 7, Tigers 2.
Bottom of Fourth
Tigers Pitching Change: Garrett Hill for Tyler Alexander
Alexander Pitching Line: Three innings, eight hits, seven runs (earned), one walk, three strikeouts, 68 pitches, 43 strikes.
Thompson struck out swinging to lead off the inning for the Rangers, as starter Garrett Hill took over for Tyler Alexander. Semien then struck out swinging. Seager struck out swinging to end the inning. Rangers 7, Tigers 2.
Top of Fifth
Baddoo led off the fifth with a single to center field, which brought up Greene and the top of the Tigers’ order for the third time on Friday night. Green hit a line drive into right-center field. García made an attempt at a diving catch, but just missed it. The ball rolled back to the wall with Taveras in chase. Baddoo scored and the Rangers tried to throw out Greene at third. But a poor throw to Duran bounced past him and Greene was able to score on the error, which was charged to Semien. Greene’s hit was scored a triple. That cut the Rangers’ lead to three runs for the second time in the game. Reyes then grounded out to Seager. Báez grounded up the middle, which Semien fielded for the second out. Castro drew a walk to set up Cabrera. Before that, Rangers co-pitching coach Doug Mathis paid Otto a visit as pitchers were warming up in the bullpen. Cabrera grounded out to Seager on the first pitch to end the inning. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Bottom of Fifth
Lowe, who homered in the first inning, stepped in to face Hill in his second inning of relief. Lowe drew a four-pitch walk. García hit a screaming ground ball to Castro at second base, and he was able to catch and throw out Lowe at second base. But García reached first on the fielder’s choice. Heim grounded out to Castro at second, but García advanced to second base. Taveras, who drove in García earlier in the game, hit a deep fly ball to center field that Greene caught on the warning track to end the inning. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Top of Sixth
Texas Pitching Change: Taylor Hearn for Glenn Otto
Otto Pitching Line: Five innings, five hits, four runs (earned), two walks, three strikeouts, 80 pitches, 48 strikes.
Hearn, who threw three perfect innings to claim his first Major League save in relief of Kohei Arihara on Sunday in Minnesota, struck out Castro to start the inning. Haase struck out swinging on three pitches. Candelario followed by flying out to Thompson in left to end the inning. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Bottom of Sixth
Hill came out for a third inning of relief for Detroit and faced Mathias, who already had two hits. He went opposite field for a single to get things started. Duran followed by grounding into a 6-4-3 double play. Thompson then singled to center field for his second hit of the game. Semien struck out swinging to end the inning. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Top of Seventh
Hearn came out for his second inning of relief for Texas. He struck out Baddoo on four pitches, then struck out Greene on four pitches. Reyes followed by drawing a walk. Báez then grounded out to Duran. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Bottom of Seventh
Tigers Pitching Change: Jason Foley for Garrett Hill
Hill Pitching Line: Three innings, two hits, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts, 46 pitches, 28 strikes.
After three solid innings from Hill, he handed the ball to Jason Foley, who faced Seager to lead off the frame. Seager grounded out to Báez for the first out. Lowe then singled to the opposite field to beat the shift and give the Rangers a base runner. García struck out. Heim flew out to left to end the inning. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Top of Eighth
Rangers Pitching Change: Jonathan Hernández for Taylor Hearn
Hearn Pitching Line: Two innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts, 34 pitches, 23 strikes.
Castro led off against Hernández and flew out Taveras in center field. Cabrera popped out to Seager for the second out. Hernández hit Castro with a pitch, and Haase followed by striking out. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Bottom of Eighth
Tigers Pitching Change: Jose Cisnero for Jason Foley
Foley Pitching Line: One inning, one hit, no runs, no walks, one strikeout, 20 pitches, 10 strikes.
Cisneros’ first hitter was Taveras, who grounded out to Candelario at third base. Mathias followed by lining out to Baddoo in left field, which was the first time in four plate appearances on Friday that Mathias didn’t have a hit. It took a sliding catch by Baddoo to record the out. Duran ended the inning with a lineout to Báez. Rangers 7, Tigers 4.
Top of Ninth
Rangers Pitching Change: Jose Leclerc for Jonathan Hernández
Hernández Pitching Line: One inning, no hits, no runs, no walks, one strikeout, 17 pitches, nine strikes.
Candelario led off against Leclerc by drawing a walk to give the Tigers a little hope they could cut the Rangers’ three-run lead. Baddoo then struck out swinging to bring up the top of the order. Greene, who had already singled and tripled on the night, homered to right-center field, scoring Candelario and cutting the Rangers’ lead to one run. Reyes then singled to extend the inning. Báez struck out swinging for the second out. Castro struck out swinging to end the game. Final: Rangers 7, Tigers 6.
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard
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