Tigers Vs. Rangers Final Score: Detroit Loses In Another Slugfest

The Detroit Tigers lost 13-9 to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night and also lost the three-game series 2-1. After an 8-2 win in Game 1 and a 7-5 loss in Game 2, it was yet another high-scoring affair.

The game didn't start the way the Tigers would have liked, with the Rangers leading 4-0 after two innings and 7-2 after four. Detroit rallied and made it 11-9 heading into the bottom of the eighth, but that was the closest it would get.

David Murphy went 4-for-5 with two home runs and five RBIs for the Rangers. He hit a three run shot in the second inning and a solo home run in the fourth.

Doug Fister (1-5) took the loss for Detroit after four and one-third innings. He gave up eight earned runs off nine hits, including three home runs.

Roy Oswalt (2-0) got the win for Texas. He gave up five runs off 13 hits in six innings, striking out six.

The Tigers will travel to Tampa for a four-game set beginning Friday at 7:10 p.m. ET.

For more on the Tigers, check out Bless You Boys. For more on the Rangers, head over to Lone Star Ball. And for more MLB news and expert analysis, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

Tigers Vs. Rangers Score Update: Doug Fister Is Giving Up Home Runs

This isn't the way that the Detroit Tigers or Doug Fister wanted it to look in the fifth inning: In Game 3 in Arlington, the Texas Rangers are up 7-3.

Starting pitcher Doug Fister has given up eight hits and three home runs already on Wednesday night, after giving up four home runs all of last season.

The first two home runs came from David Murphy. He hit a three-run shot in the second inning and a solo shot in the fourth.

Ian Kinsler hit a two-run shot shortly after Murphy's in the fourth inning.

The Tigers' three runs came off a Miguel Cabrera RBI single in the third, a Brennan Boesch RBI single in the fourth and an RIP triple from Quintin Berry in the fifth.

For more on the Tigers, check out Bless You Boys. For more on the Rangers, head over to Lone Star Ball. And for more MLB news and expert analysis, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

Tigers Vs. Rangers: Detroit Looks For Series Win In Final Game

The opening two games of the series between the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers have been slug fests. Game one featured eight runs by Detroit in an 8-2 victory, while the Rangers found their bats wonderfully in game two which helped them get a 7-5 win.

Game three doesn't look like it's going to be quite as offensively-oriented, if the starting pitching match up is any indicator.

Doug Fister will face Roy Oswalt in the third game of the series in a battle of top pitchers. Oswalt, a relatively new addition to the Rangers rotation, started strong with a win in his first game against the Colorado Rockies a week ago. He struck out six and had a 1.35 ERA in the win. Fister has been battling injuries this season but when healthy has been pretty good. He is currently sporting a solid if unspectacular 2.72 ERA despite only having won a single game all season.

Stars like Josh Hamilton and Prince Fielder have mashed this series so far, and they'll have to get by that top pitching match up in order to do it again. If there are two offenses who are up to the challenge of getting 10 or more runs out of a game with these pitchers though, it might be these two.

The game will be at Rangers Ballpark at 8:05 p.m. ET.

For more on the Tigers, check out Bless You Boys. For more on the Rangers, head over to Lone Star Ball. And for more MLB news and expert analysis, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

Tigers Vs. Rangers Final Score: Detroit Outslugged By Texas In Game Two, 7-5

Drew Smyly's first game back from the disabled list did not go exactly as planned for the rookie pitcher and the Detroit Tigers on a balmy Tuesday night in Arlington, as a potent Texas lineup plowed through Detroit pitching en route to a 7-5 victory in the series' 2nd game.

The left-handed Smyly was staked to an immediate 2-0 advantage after a Prince Fielder two-run double brought home Austin Jackson and Miguel Cabrera in the opening frame, but offered up a run of his own on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning. Smyly's outing came unraveled in the 4th inning when a series of hits allowed Texas to plate four runs and flip the game on its head, forcing him to exit with both his 4th loss of the year and an ugly line (4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER).

Despite coming out on the wrong end of a loss, Smyly did not appeared bothered by the blister injury that forced him to the 15-day disabled list earlier in the month, which is a promising sign for the Tigers going forward. Offensively, Fielder's 2-for-4, four RBI performance was virtually the only bright spot for the Tigers, as Texas pitcher Yu Darvish and his 10 strikeouts made things tough on Detroit hitters all evening.

The final game of the series will feature the pitching duel of Detroit's Doug Fister taking on Texas' new addition Roy Oswalt on Wednesday night, as the two squads will each be in search of a pivotal series victory.

For more on the Tigers, check out Bless You Boys. For more on the Rangers, head over to Lone Star Ball. And for more MLB news and expert analysis, be sure to visit Baseball Nation.

Alex Avila Injury: No Structural Damage, Just Soreness, For Tigers Catcher

An MRI revealed no structural damage in Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila's left knee, according to Detroit News' Tom Gage:

update on #Tigers Avila - MRI showed nothing structurally wrong with left knee - patellar tendinitis causing soreness - could play Tues nite

— Tom Gage (@Tom_Gage) June 26, 2012

Avila, who returned last week after being on the disabled list with a hamstring injury, didn't play Monday night because of his left knee. The Tigers won 8-2 against the Texas Rangers, with catcher Gerald Laird going 1-for-3 with a walk.

On the season, Avila is hitting .234 with a .324 on-base percentage. The nagging injuries have allowed him to appear in just 48 games.

Last season Avila appeared in 141 games and hit .295.

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Tigers Vs. Rangers: Drew Smyly Returns From DL, Draws Texas' High-Powered Offense

Welcome back, Drew Smyly.

Smyly, the Detroit Tigers' rookie starter who had been on the disabled list for past two weeks, rejoins the rotation just in time to face the Texas Rangers. In triple-digit heat, no less.

Smyly, 2-2 with a 4.53 ERA, was relegated to the DL with a nasty blister on his pitching hand. The blister, according to Smyly, was exacerbated by heat and humidity, making tonight's expected temperature of over 100 degrees that much more daunting.

The weather won't be the only challenge -- there is also the Texas lineup. The Rangers lead the league in runs scored and on-base percentage and are tied for third in home runs. Slugger Josh Hamilton is tied for second in home runs after his long ball in Monday's 8-2 Tigers victory.

The Rangers will put their own rookie on the hill: Yu Darvish. Darvish, 9-4 with a 3.45 ERA, has won two straight games and on the season has 96 strikeouts in 88.2 innings.

First pitch is schedule for 8:05 Eastern.

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Tigers Vs. Rangers Final Score: Detroit Holds Onto Early Lead

The Detroit Tigers started their three-game set in Arlington with a convincing win on Monday. They beat the Rangers 8-2.

Tigers pitcher Rick Porcello (5-5) reversed a couple of trends with a strong effort. His career ERA against the Rangers is worse than any other AL team and he headed into this game 0-3 against AL West teams with a 12.08 ERA. In this game, he gave up one run in six innings, striking out seven.

Justin Grimm (1-1) took the loss for Texas, giving up six runs before being yanked in the second inning. It was Grimm's second major league start.

Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 including two doubles for three RBIs. The Tigers held an 8-0 lead after six, before Josh Hamilton's two run home run in the seventh.

Game 2 goes Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. ET at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Texas will send Yu Darvish to the mound against the Tigers' Drew Smyly.

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Tigers Vs. Rangers Score Update: Detroit Starts Series Strong

The Detroit Tigers have opened their series against the Texas Rangers exactly how they wanted to. After five innings, they're ahead against the best team in the league by a score of 7-0.

Detroit scored five runs in the first inning on the strength of a two-run double from Miguel Cabrera, an RBI single from Delmon Young, an RBI double from Jhonny Peralta and an RBI single from Ramon Santiago.

Prince Fielder scored Quintin Berry on a sacrifice fly in the second and Fielder scored on a Peralta groundout in the fifth.

The Rangers pulled starting pitcher Justin Grimm in the second inning. He gave up six runs, eight hits and walked one. He was replaced by Michael Kirkman.

Tigers starter Rick Porcello has struck out five and given up four hits through five innings.

For more on the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers, head over to Bless You Boys and Lone Star Ball, the teams respective SB Nation blogs. More news and analysis on the world of baseball can be found over at Baseball Nation.

Alex Avila Injury: Tigers Catcher Out Of Lineup With Knee Soreness

On Monday afternoon, the Detroit Tigers announced that catcher Alex Avila was going to miss the team's Monday night game against the Texas Rangers due to knee soreness. This is obviously concerning because Avila is only four days removed from being activated from the disabled list due to a right hamstring strain.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland made it clear that he is worried about the soreness and even went as far to say that it was a "red flag."

Avila out of lineup with renewed knee soreness. "Red flag," Leyland said. Avila due to be examined later today.

— Freep Tigers (@freeptigers) June 25, 2012

Leyland went on to explain that the fact that Avila is feeling soreness so soon after his stint on the DL has him worried about whether he is fully recovered.

Avila is scheduled to be examined later on Monday afternoon.

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Tigers Vs. Rangers: Detroit Kicks Off Series In Texas

The Detroit Tigers will kick off a series against the best team in baseball, the Texas Rangers, on Monday.