Hamels, Rangers Fall To Tigers 2-0
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ARLINGTON (AP) — Casey McGehee had four of Detroit's 14 hits against Cole Hamels, Matt Boyd pitched seven scoreless innings and the Tigers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory over the AL-best Texas Rangers on Saturday night.
Boyd (4-2) limited the Rangers to two hits with three strikeouts and two walks in his longest start this season. The left-hander is 4-0 his last six starts.
Detroit opened the fifth with three consecutive singles, McGehee leading it off and scoring on a hit by Victor Martinez for a 1-0 lead. McGehee added an RBI double an inning later.
The 14 hits were the most ever allowed by Hamels (12-4), who also walked three, but the Tigers left 11 runners on base against him, seven in scoring position. The lefty benefited from a double play, two outfield assists and a pickoff for his final out of the game.
The only 1-2-3 inning for Hamels was his last one, when he had consecutive strikeouts before giving up a single to Mike Aviles and promptly picking him off first base.
Shane Greene worked the eighth and Francisco Rodriguez the ninth for his 33rd save in 36 chances.
It was Detroit's sixth shutout of the season, while the Rangers were held scoreless for the sixth time.
The Tigers had runners thrown out at third and home by outfielders in the fourth.
Avilies tried to advance from first on Jarrod Saltalamacchia's single to left, but Jurickson Profar got his first career outfield assist with a one-hop throw to third baseman Adrian Beltre. The inning ended with Saltalamacchia out trying to score when Ian Kinsler blooped a double down the line that ricocheted off Shin-Soo Choo when he slid trying to catch it. But the right fielder got up, retrieved the ball from foul territory and threw to catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who made a sweeping tag for the out.
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