SB Nation Detroit - Tigers Blow Early Lead, Lose 11-4https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48919/detroit-fave.png2010-09-15T00:45:35-04:00http://detroit.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14531962010-09-15T00:45:35-04:002010-09-15T00:45:35-04:00Tigers Blow Early Lead, Lose 11-4
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<p>Arlington, TX (<a href="../../../mlb/events/54222/recap/114883">Sports Network</a>) - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/95/Michael_Young">Michael Young</a> finished with three hits, three runs batted in and three runs scored, as Texas opened the floodgates late in an 11-4 rout of Detroit in the first contest of a brief two-game set at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/texas-rangers">Rangers</a> Ballpark.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31582/Elvis_Andrus">Elvis Andrus</a> had two hits and scored twice, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/288/David_Murphy">David Murphy</a> homered as part of a three-hit, two-RBI attack, and the Rangers pounded out 14 hits in their sixth straight victory. Texas has a sizeable nine-game advantage over Oakland in the American League West and appears to playing its best baseball at the right time.</p>
<p>That was especially true of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/771/Dustin_Nippert">Dustin Nippert</a> (4-4), who pitched 4 1/3 scoreless frames while surrendering three hits and one walk with three strikeouts. He came into the game in the fifth for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/69217/Derek_Holland">Derek Holland</a>, who lasted just four frames.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/312/Jeremy_Bonderman">Jeremy Bonderman</a> gave up four runs -- three earned -- in five frames, but the loss went to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/106960/Robbie_Weinhardt">Robbie Weinhardt</a> (1-2), who gave up three runs -- just one earned -- on four hits while retiring just two batters. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/61108/Casper_Wells">Casper Wells</a> went 4-for-4 with an RBI, as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/detroit-tigers">Tigers</a> lost for the third time in four games.</p>
<p>The Rangers struck first in their initial at-bat as Young scored when <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/638/Vladimir_Guerrero">Vladimir Guerrero</a> grounded out.</p>
<p>Detroit tied the game in the second and built a three-run edge over three consecutive at-bats. Ramon Santiago's sacrifice fly tied the game in the second.</p>
<p>Jhonny Peralta's sacrifice fly scored <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/31845/Scott_Sizemore">Scott Sizemore</a> and Wells' base hit plated <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/271/Ryan_Raburn">Ryan Raburn</a> for a 3-1 advantage. In the fourth, the Tigers again took advantage of a Rangers miscue, putting Santiago at second on an error by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/137/Nelson_Cruz">Nelson Cruz</a>. He scored on Sizemore's one-out single to left.</p>
<p>Texas put on a game-tying three-spot in the home fourth. Murphy socked a solo shot to right -- a moon shot that barely cleared the wall and was upheld after a review. Guerrero was plunked by a pitch, but was erased on Cruz's grounder to short. A wild pitch moved Cruz into scoring position and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/135/Ian_Kinsler">Ian Kinsler</a> walked in front of Mitch Moreland's single to center. A two-out fielding error on a grounder by Andrus to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/280/Brandon_Inge">Brandon Inge</a> allowed Kinsler to score the tying run.</p>
<p>The Rangers broke the game wide open with seven runs over the sixth and seventh frames. Andrus singled with one out and scampered to third on Young's single. Another defensive miscue, this one by second baseman <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/32044/Will_Rhymes">Will Rhymes</a>, allowed Andrus to score. Cruz's two-out single to left plated Young and Kinsler followed suit, allowing Murphy to cross the plate with the team's seventh run.</p>
<p>In the seventh, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/players/463/Matt_Treanor">Matt Treanor</a> led off with a single and moved to second on Julio Borbon's base hit. Andrus followed with a bunt hit down the third-base line, and Young's double cleared the bases. He eventually scored the game's final run on Guerrero's sacrifice fly to center.</p>
<p>Kinsler was suspended for one game for his inappropriate actions during and after Friday's win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../../mlb/teams/new-york-yankees">New York Yankees</a>, Major League Baseball announced on Tuesday. He was ejected for arguing with umpire Dale Scott in the bottom of the 10th inning, then following Cruz's game-winning homer in the bottom of the 13th, he returned to the field as Cruz was rounding the bases, which was in violation of MLB official rule 4.07. He is appealing the suspension and finished 1-for-2 with a run scored and three walks on Tuesday...Murphy hit his 10th home run of the season...Sizemore had two hits in defeat.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/9/15/1689916/tigers-blow-early-lead-lose-11-4Sean Yuille2010-09-14T18:13:08-04:002010-09-14T18:13:08-04:00Tigers Head To Texas For 2-Game Series Against Rangers
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<p>(<a href="../../mlb/events/54222/preview/114785">Sports Network</a>) - The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/texas-rangers">Texas Rangers</a> hope to carry the momentum from a big weekend sweep into their next series, as they open a two-game set against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/detroit-tigers">Detroit Tigers</a> at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.lonestarball.com/">Rangers</a> Ballpark in Arlington.</p>
<p>After losing five straight games, the Rangers have now won five in a row and took all three games in their series over the weekend with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/new-york-yankees">New York Yankees</a>, culminating with a 4-1 win on Sunday behind eight-plus solid innings from a returning <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/4/Cliff_Lee">Cliff Lee</a>.</p>
<p>Lee (11-8) had been skipped a start to rest an ailing back after the former Cy Young winner pitched to an 8.28 earned run average over five winless outings. The rest did the veteran some good, as he held New York to one run on two hits and three walks.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69218/Neftali_Feliz">Neftali Feliz</a> struck out the side in the ninth after Lee walked <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/598/Derek_Jeter">Derek Jeter</a> to open the inning.</p>
<p>"<span>Cliff Lee</span> was outstanding today," Rangers Manager Ron Washington said. "We did a lot of good things and deserved to win."</p>
<p>Texas now leads the American League West by eight games over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/oakland-athletics">Oakland Athletics</a>.</p>
<p>Hoping to get the Rangers one step closer to their first division crown since 1999 tonight will be left-hander <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/69217/Derek_Holland">Derek Holland</a>, who is 3-3 with a 4.31 earned run average. Holland was terrific in beating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/toronto-blue-jays">Toronto Blue Jays</a> on Wednesday, as he scattered three hits over five scoreless innings. He also struck out eight batters in the win.</p>
<p>This will be his first ever start against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Tigers</a>, who will counter with right-hander <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/312/Jeremy_Bonderman">Jeremy Bonderman</a>. Bonderman won his second consecutive decision on Wednesday against Chicago, as he allowed a run and three hits in eight innings to run his record to 8-9 to go along with a 5.03 ERA.</p>
<p>Bonderman has faced the Rangers eight times and is 2-1 against them with a 5.32 ERA.</p>
<p>Detroit comes into tonight's opener after salvaging the finale of its three- game set with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/teams/baltimore-orioles">Baltimore Orioles</a>. On Sunday, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/427/Miguel_Cabrera">Miguel Cabrera</a> hit a three-run double in a five-run eighth, as the Tigers rallied for a 6-2 win at Comerica Park.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/280/Brandon_Inge">Brandon Inge</a> added a two-run homer in the eighth and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/61108/Casper_Wells">Casper Wells</a> knocked in a run for Detroit, which has won four of six overall.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="../../mlb/players/282/Justin_Verlander">Justin Verlander</a> (16-8) picked up the win after tossing eight solid innings. The hard-throwing right-hander allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and fanned 11 in throwing 122 pitches -- 84 for strikes. He is now 3-0 in his last five starts and improved to 11-3 at home in 15 starts this season.</p>
<p>"I thought Verlander had shutout stuff," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I thought all pitches worked as good as I've seen them all year. That was shutout stuff. He didn't get a shutout, but he easily could have."</p>
<p>Texas has won four of its seven matchups with the Tigers this season.</p>
https://detroit.sbnation.com/2010/9/14/2320989/tigers-head-to-texas-for-2-game-series-against-rangersSean Yuille