The Detroit Tigers battled the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers in a four game series this week. Here is how the series played out, as well as a look at the updated AL Central division standings.
Like how so many Tigers games this season have played out, Monday’s series opener was a pitchers duel. Reese Olson shared the mound with former Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who was traded by Detroit to the Phillies at the deadline last season. Both starters pitched very well as both offenses were lackluster throughout the game. The most action came in the 5th inning when the Rangers scored the first and only run of the game.
Rangers get on the board 1st
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 15, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/Y7QcIpx0qU
Riley Greene stopped the bleeding by throwing out a runner at the plate for an inning-ending double play. Lorenzen got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fifth inning, stranding Greene, Baez, and Urshela, and it was the end of his outing.
Scoreless debut from @Lorenzen55. pic.twitter.com/tB90zo14C3
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 16, 2024
Reese Olson pitched into the seventh inning before the Tigers’ bullpen took over with one out. Unfortunately, Olson’s stellar day resulted in a loss on his record, as he just couldn’t get any production from his offense.
Quality day at the office.#RepDetroit @Reese_Olson1 pic.twitter.com/Dw8eCfoYLu
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
The Tigers showed no offense in the 7th, threatenedbut failed to score in the 8th, and were once again shut down in the 9th. The Rangers took game one 1-0.
Casey Mize and Jon Gray faced off in game two. Mize was making his first start at home in over two years, his first since undergoing Tommy John Surgery. Both starters retired at the top of the opposing teams’ batting order. Gray struck out the side. Mize continued his strong start by striking out two in the 2nd and once again completing a 1-2-3 inning. Kerry Carpenter tripled to lead off the bottom of the 2nd inning but was left at third as the Tigers threatened but failed to score.
Kerry goes for 3️⃣! pic.twitter.com/RwUJHGDONO
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
Mize stranded a runner in the 3rd as he kept the Rangers scoreless through three innings. Finally, in the bottom of the 3rd, the Tigers put a run on the board, drawing first blood. Greene walked with one out and would score from first on a Zach McKinstry single… with a little help from Ranger outfielder Evan Carter, who committed an error on the play.
On the board first! pic.twitter.com/BV8vnhVf1l
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
Mize threw another 1-2-3 inning in the fourth inning, which ended with a spectacular play by Javy Baez at shortstop—one of the best plays you’ll see this season.
Makin' it look easy. pic.twitter.com/jbB1ydc9bV
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
Texas would score their first run in the 5th, as Duran brought home Smith, who had led off the inning with a leadoff single. Later that inning, the Rangers took the lead thanks to Marcus Semien, who had a big series. Semien’s two-out RBI single scored Duran to make it 2-1 in favor of the defending champs.
Answered back. #StraightUpTX pic.twitter.com/rpsEEolm0z
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) April 16, 2024
The Tigers themselves had a quick comeback in them as someone who also had a great series brought home the tying run in the 6th. Kerry Carpenter’s RBI double made it a tie game again with the equalizer that made it a 2-2 ballgame. That was the final inning for Texas’ starter Jon Gray. His final line: six innings pitched, three hits, two runs, two earned runs, three walks, and seven strikeouts.
Carp brings home the tying run! pic.twitter.com/5U1ZulfiDg
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
In his final inning of work, Casey Mize struck out two and retired the Rangers in order. His final line: six innings pitched, five hits, two runs, two earned runs, no walks, and six strikeouts. Not a bad return to Comerica Park for the former first-round pick.
Mize back on the mound at Comerica Park pic.twitter.com/MKAwsSlWQg
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
The Tigers scored the winning runs in the 8th inning with a pinch-hit RBI single that scored McKinstry. The insurance run came on a wild pitch that plated Vierling with Wenceel Pérez at the dish. That made it 4-2, which was the final score.
Heads up baseball! pic.twitter.com/PZPUX5zjFF
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 16, 2024
The Tigers’ win on Tuesday was the series equalizer.
Wednesday’s match-up was Cy Young candidate Tarik Skubal vs. former AL Central rival Dane Dunning. Skubal found himself in big trouble early as he committed a throwing error, allowed a single, and walked a batter to start the game. If you ever wondered why many teams put their best hitter in the cleanup spot in the lineup, the 1st inning of Wednesday’s match-up was a perfect example. It looked like Skubal was in big-time danger with Adolis Garcia at the plate with no room for error. Fortunately, the only damage done by Garcia was a sac-fly. That was the only damage done by the Rangers in a stressful 1st inning. Greene walked, but it was wasted when Torkelson grounded into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. After hitting the leadoff batter in the 2nd, Skubal got a double play and made Langford a strikeout victim to make quick work of Texas in the top of the 2nd inning.
Detroit muscled up to tie the game to start the bottom half of the 2nd inning courtesy of Kerry Carpenter, who hit a solo bomb to right field. Carpenter was mic’d up and said that it may have been the best swing of his career.
426 ft
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 17, 2024
Kerry ties it up! pic.twitter.com/9NFQWEF6VF
Carpenter got the pitch he was looking for and didn’t waste it—one of hopefully many “Plakata” home run calls from Carlos Pena this season. The bats stayed relatively quiet until the sixth inning, when Garcia brought Semien home with a double. He and Seager would score on a single from catcher Jonah Heim, giving the Rangers a 4-1 lead.
Rangers take a 4-1 lead!
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 17, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/tRH4N9kWnk
Dunning started the 6th inning but was replaced after a Torkelson leadoff double. He scored on an E6, making it a 4-2 ballgame. Once Torkelson scored, Dunning’s final line was official: five innings pitched, three hits, two runs, one earned run, four walks, and five strikeouts.
We'll take it! A throwing error by the Rangers allows the Tigers to cut their lead in half! #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/ZK8URHKV1o
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 17, 2024
The Tigers continued to cut into the Rangers’ lead in the 7th. Parker Meadows, who had a miserable start to the season, led off the inning with a solo home run to right-center field, a much-needed shot in the arm for the young Detroit outfielder.
The first home run of the season for @parkermeadows3 is a big one, and it's a one-run game!#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/StLoKshmZ3
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 17, 2024
That blast made it 4-3. The Tigers continued to rally in the 8th, as Javy Baez tied the game when he singled, bringing home Matt Vierling to make it 4-4.
A bloop RBI single from @javy23baez knots things up at 4-4!#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/dgcHGRYZpS
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 17, 2024
Unfortunately, that did not last. Josh Smith’s RBI double in the 9th made it 5-4 and was the winning run, as Kirby Yates slammed the door shut through the pouring rain in the bottom of the 9th. The Tigers couldn’t rally against Yates, and the Rangers took the series lead.
Josh Smith with the RBI double and the lead!
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 17, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/RZaYQZsnwQ
The series wrap-up featured a highly anticipated debut. Jack Leiter, son of Al Leiter, made his MLB debut for the Rangers, and Kenta Maeda started for the Tigers in game four. Marcus Semien started the game with a bang as he homered to get the ballgame started.
3rd pitch Home Run
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 18, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/5Zsjej3K3u
Corey Seager followed it up with a single, but Maeda got a double play and a ground out to limit the damage. Jack Leiter’s major league career got off to a great start as he struck out Riley Greene on three pitches to begin his afternoon and MLB career.
3 pitches. 3 strikes.
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 18, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/7zF3h9JA4O
Canha was the first big leaguer to get a hit off of Leiter. Carpenter struck out, and Torkelson walked, putting two on with two outs in the first. Matt Vierling wasted that opportunity by flying out, and Leiter stranded two by getting out of a jam in his first inning of work. The Rangers added to their lead in the second inning as Smith walked to lead off the inning, Langford doubled to bring him home, and Langford scored on a Jonah Heim two-run home run.
HEIM (2-RUN HOME-RUN) TIME ⏰
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 18, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/DicaNm46qC
Texas took a 4-0 lead into the home half of the 2nd, but their lead didn’t last long. Leiter walked Keith and gave up a single to Urshela, and Keith scored on a Javy Baez RBI double.
. @javy23baez does it again, driving in a run to put the Tigers on the board!#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/MWiEeQvxjr
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 18, 2024
Urshela scored on a Carson Kelly groundout. Baez was brought home on Greene’s triple, and Greene scored thanks to an RBI single from Mark Canha. The Tigers’ big four-run inning tied the game, but the Rangers wasted no time responding.
Things we like to see: an RBI triple from @Greene21Riley. #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/JULgsQXQwU
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) April 18, 2024
After striking out Evan Carter, Maeda gave up his third home run of the game, this time to Adolis Garcia, who gave the Rangers their lead back.
Kenta Maeda just knew. El Bombi joins the HR party!
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 18, 2024
@Rangers | #StraightUpTX | @BallySports pic.twitter.com/mznROZtXFT
Maeda struck out Smith but walked Langford and gave up a single to Heim, setting up Duran to give the Rangers a 6-4 lead. In the home half of the 3rd, Leiter completed his first 1-2-3 inning by retiring Vierling, Keith, and Urshela in order. Texas added another run in the 4th after a Marcus Semien leadoff double. He reached third on an error from Vierling in right-center field. Semien scored on a sac fly from Evan Carter, making it 7-4.
The Tigers were able to answer back with another big inning in the bottom of the 4th. Leiter retired the first two batters of the inning before it started unraveling. Greene’s double sparked a two-out rally. Canha walked, and he and Greene scored on Carpenter’s triple. Tork then plated Carpenter with a double to tie the game, making it a 7-7 ballgame. That was Leiter’s final inning of work as he was replaced with two outs and Torkelson at second. His final line: 3⅔ innings pitched, eight hits, seven runs, seven earned runs, three walks, and three strikeouts.
We're tied! pic.twitter.com/2cyudviyoF
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) April 18, 2024
The Tigers’ bats hit the kill switch after the fourth, as they didn’t score again for the remainder of the game. The Rangers broke the tie in the 8th because of defensive blunders from Detroit and added an insurance run in the 9th on a Taveras RBI single. Yates completed a four-out save, and the Rangers took the series, winning three of four. Texas won the series wrap-up 9-7 in a game full of offense.
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