Multiple contributors help Rangers top Tigers 6-2
Multiple contributors help Rangers top Tigers 6-2
ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers used every device in their offensive tool box to manufacture runs in a victory on Monday night.
The balanced attack featured RBIs from six hitters in Texas' 6-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Texas employed timely hits, aggressive baserunning and sacrifice bunts, and it scored the go-ahead run on a ball that traveled 3 feet -- Delino DeShields' safety squeeze that brought in Rougned Odor in the second inning.
Nomar Mazara, Adrian Beltre, Drew Robinson and Robinson Chrinos also drove in runs, as did Joey Gallo, who belted his 33rd home run, a solo shot in the third inning. The homer was Gallo's 12th since the All-Star break, tops in the American League.
Odor led Texas' 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4 -- including a bunt hit to start the second -- with two stolen bases and three runs. Mazara also had three hits.
"I felt like tonight offensively might have been our best approach all year long with everything that we did," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "We ran the bases well, got a bunt base hit, some sacrifice bunts ... just all around probably the best approach in a game that we've had collectively throughout the game."
The Rangers won for the fourth time in five games.
Texas left-hander Martin Perez (7-10) posted his second straight victory. The left-hander gave up two runs -- both on Justin Upton's homer in the first inning -- six hits and a walk. He struck out two.
Perez has allowed two runs in his past 14 innings.
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"I think I've got confidence now," he said. "When that happens to a pitcher, you can do whatever you want with the ball, and you compete. It's not easy to go out there and face a good hitter, but when you've got confidence, you compete and do your job."
Right-hander Ricky Rodriguez, making his major league debut, was one of three Texas relievers who followed Perez to the mound. The 24-year-old, called up last week from Double-A Frisco, struck out the first two hitters he faced and retired Jose Iglesias on a lineout.
Rodriguez, right-hander Matt Bush, and left-hander Alex Claudio worked three scoreless innings, but not without some angst.
The Tigers loaded the bases with three hits in the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate. The spot in the order initially belonged to leadoff hitter Ian Kinsler, but he and manager Brad Ausmus were ejected by plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the fifth inning for arguing balls and strikes.
Instead, Dixon Machado was the batter, and he struck out against Claudio to end the game.
"I'm not going to talk about the umpires," said bench coach Gene Lamont, who took over for Ausmus. "That's a losing battle. You get frustrated and say the wrong thing, and the next thing you know, you're gone. Brad evidently said something he didn't like either."
Right-hander Michael Fulmer (10-10), in his first start since returning from a disabled-list stint prompted by a sore elbow, took the loss. He gave up five runs, seven hits and three walks in five innings. He struck out two.
A year ago to the day, Fulmer confounded the Rangers in a four-hit shutout. He struck out nine that time.
He wasn't nearly as crisp on Monday while struggling with his command. Fulmer walked the first two batters he faced in Texas' two-run first inning.
A stretch of 14 days between starts might have been one reason for his lack of command, though he is now 0-4 with a 7.89 ERA in his past four starts, all Tigers losses.
"I felt good. That's the only positive on the day," Fulmer said. "I was just out of sync. I think I got better as the game went on, but I felt every pitch was either a ball or right down the middle.
"They had some hard hits and some soft hits. They bunted, took extra bases. There really are no excuses. I have to prepare better."
Right-hander Jeff Ferrell surrendered Chirinos' RBI single in the sixth for Texas' final run.
In addition to Upton, who was 1-for-3 with a walk, Mikie Mahtook went 3-for-4 with a run for the Tigers, who have dropped eight of 10 games.
James McCann had two hits for Detroit. He has hit safely in 20 of his past 23 games.
Down 2-0 after Upton's two-run homer, Texas answered with two runs in its half of the first inning.
DeShields and Elvis Andrus walked to open the inning, and Mazara followed with an RBI single. Beltre's sacrifice fly scored Andrus.
Gallo ended an 0-for-11 stretch with a solo home run to center, his eighth home run in his past 11 games, in the third.
Odor scored his second run of the game in the fourth, coming home on Robinson's base hit.
"Martin pitched pretty good today," Odor said. "I just tried to get on base to keep scoring runs."
NOTES: Detroit 1B Miguel Cabrera was out of the lineup a second consecutive game after his back stiffened in the morning. ... Texas OF Shin-Soo Choo and OF Carlos Gomez were out of the lineup. "Choo is just a little banged up. Gomez felt a little under the weather," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. ... Texas LHP Jake Diekman, out all season after stomach surgery, threw live batting practice. No decision has been made on next his steps, which will include a minor league rehabilitation stint.