Rangers shutout Tigers 8-0
The Texas Rangers shutout the Detroit Tigers 8-0 at Comerica Park Tuesday night thanks to a record-setting performance by Rangers' starting pitcher Tommy Hunter. Hunter became the first Rangers pitcher to begin the season with a 7-0 record. The win improves AL West-leading Rangers' record to 55-39, staying five games ahead of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim after the Angels beat the New York Yankees. The Tigers fell to 48-44 on the year, losing a game in the AL Central race to the Chicago White Sox after Chicago beat Seattle. The Tigers are now three and a half games behind the White Sox.
Hunter was quick to defer all praise of the record to his teammates after the game.
"That's a great accomplishment because you obviously want to win every game, but a lot of it has to do with the guys behind me," he said. "You saw the plays they made, and they've done that every time I've been on the mound.
"They are the reason I'm 7-0, plus Josh [Hamilton] keeps hitting homers every time I start."
The Rangers, who are now 5-1 after the All-Star break, hit three home runs in the game, one from their regular bomber, Hamilton, another from David Murphy and the third from Ian Kinsler, who homered for the second time in as many days for just his sixth dinger of the season.
Four batters into the game, the Rangers already had two runs on Detroit's starting pitcher, the “nearly-perfect” Armando Galarraga. Kinsler knocked in Elvis Andrus on an RBI triple, and Hamilton sac-flied to center to get Kinsler home.
Murphy led of the top of the second with his solo shot to make it 3-0, but then their bats quieted. There were only two hits from both teams until the top of the sixth, when Nelson Cruz hit an RBI single to score Hamilton. The Rangers added the final four runs in the top of the ninth with a successful suicide squeeze off the bunt by Andrus and two home runs. Kinsler hit a two-run shot first, which was followed by Hamilton's home run. Kinsler led the way throughout the game with three RBI.
Galarraga's performance solid despite loss
The Tigers starter has had a rough season. First, his perfect game was famously blown by umpire James Joyce, and then the Tigers sent him down to Triple-A for a brief stint. His performance Tuesday night — seven and one-third innings, giving up four earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts — could have been enough win had Detroit gotten on base more, as they drew three walks to add to their four hits all game. He's only won once since the June 2 umpiring disaster, but Leyland isn't concerned just yet.
"Galarraga gave us a chance to win," he said.
Detroit's post All-Star break woes continue
In the five seasons Leyland has been the manager of the Detroit Tigers, his team has always managed to enter the All-Star break with at least a .500 record. The trouble has always come after the break, where his Tigers have never had a winning second half. The Tigers have lost seven straight since the last time the were the leaders in the AL Central.
"It's probably different [reasons] every year," he said. "Two of those years, it wasn't what we wanted, but we still went to the World Series and played the 163rd game for the [AL Central] championship."
Tigers' All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera has been part of the problem after the break, going 7 for 24 with five RBI.
"Starting the second half in Cleveland, I didn't do my job," he said. "What I and we need to do is look in the mirror, turn it around, play more relaxed and make something happen."
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