Tigers pound 3 HRs, beat Rangers 14-7 to end 6-game skid
Jun 18, 2022, 4:22 AM | Updated: 4:59 pm
Detroit Tigers' Javier Baez, left, celebrates his two-run home run with Eric Haase against the Texas Rangers in the first inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Saturday, June 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
DETROIT (AP) — Eric Haase had three hits, including one of three Detroit homers, and the Tigers snapped a six-game losing streak with a 14-7 win over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.
The Tigers had scored only two runs in their last four games, but set a season high for runs Saturday.
“I don’t know if we had a sense this was coming, but we knew we needed to go out and do it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Today was every guy in the lineup stepping up, and I’m thankful, because they needed it. Everyone on this team needed a game like this.”
Javy Baez and Robbie Grossman also homered and top prospect Riley Greene scored twice in his major league debut.
“I’m feeling awesome — it has been a busy couple days, but I just wanted to get to playing baseball,” said Greene, who went 2 for 3 with two walks. “Once I got that first hit out of the way, all my nerves were gone. Now we go.”
Rony Garcia (1-2) picked up the win, allowing four runs on four hits in six innings.
Texas starter Taylor Hearn (4-5) allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.
“It was just a lot of balls down the middle,” Rangers manager Chris Woodward said. “A major league starter has to go out there and be able to execute pitches. That lineup obviously hasn’t been scoring a ton, and if you execute against them, you can get them out.
“We didn’t do that today.”
Adolis Garcia gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead with a first-inning homer before the Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the inning.
With one out, Grossman hit his first homer of the season. Miguel Cabrera flew out before Haase doubled and scored on Baez’s fourth homer. Greene followed with a single in his first big league at-bat.
“We gave up the quick run, but we came right back with Robbie hitting his first one, and then Javy hits one,” Hinch said. “This has been a tough week, and after Garcia hit one a mile in the first inning, it was huge to have that kind of inning.”
The Tigers added a fourth run in the second on a run-scoring double play, then made it 6-1 in the fourth on RBI singles by Willi Castro and Cabrera.
Jesus Tinoco replaced Hearn and immediately gave up a three-run homer to Haase.
Kody Clemens made it 10-1 in the fifth, picking up his first career RBI with a sacrifice fly that was also Greene’s first run. Castro added an RBI triple later in the inning.
Meanwhile, Rony Garcia retired 13 straight batters after Adolis Garcia’s homer before the Rangers rallied in the sixth.
Leody Tavares doubled and took third when Baez couldn’t handle a line drive by Zach Reks. Marcus Semien hit into a double play, making it 11-2. Corey Seager followed with a homer and Adolis Garcia tripled and scored on Baez’s second error of the inning.
That pulled Texas within 11-4, but Detroit scored three times off Jose Leclerc in the bottom of the inning. Leclerc was pitching for the first time since July 26, 2020 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
“It was a good day just to see Jose out there wearing our uniform,” Woodward said. “The results aren’t what he wanted, but he’s back pitching in the majors. That’s the biggest step.”
The Rangers scored three runs against Jason Foley in the ninth.
NEGRO LEAGUES TRIBUTE
The Tigers played in Detroit Stars throwbacks as part of their annual Negro Leagues Weekend. The Rangers wore their normal blue tops and gray pants rather than a themed uniform.
UP NEXT
The teams finish a four-game series on Sunday, with Detroit’s Drew Hutchison (0-4, 4.58) facing the Rangers’ Dane Dunning (1-4, 4.04).
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
