Trio of homers in first 3 innings help Rangers beat Tigers
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Nathaniel Lowe, Ezequiel Duran and Mark Mathias homered in the first three innings, and the Texas Rangers held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 7-6 on Friday night.
Adolis García extended his hitting streak to 22 games for Texas, matching Toronto slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the longest in the American League this season. García reached on a dribbler down the third base line in the third inning.
Lowe hit a 447-foot solo shot to center field in the first that cleared the batter's eye for his career-high 21st home run of the season. Duran launched a three-run homer to left in the second. Mathias added a two-run, opposite-field drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center in the third during his first career three-hit game.
The Rangers have won six of their last eight games and are 7-4 under interim manager Tony Beasley, who replaced Chris Woodward on Aug. 15.
Riley Greene went 3 for 5 for the Tigers with four RBIs, including a two-run homer in the ninth.
Glenn Otto (6-8) gave up four runs in five innings for Texas. He had a 1.99 ERA in his previous four starts.
Tyler Alexander (3-8) allowed all seven Rangers runs on eight hits in three innings. Alexander, who returned to the rotation in late July, is 3-16 as a starter over four seasons.
Jose Leclerc gave up Greene's homer but stranded the potential tying run at first base. He struck out three and earned his second save.
Lowe's homer was lefty-on-lefty. He went into play as the major leagues' best left-handed hitter against left-handed pitching this season, batting .336.
Lowe went 2 for 3 with a walk and is hitting .362 since the All-Star break.
Leody Taveras had an RBI single for Texas in the third before Mathias' homer made it 7-2.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: LHP Cole Ragans (left calf strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Tuesday.
RHP Jon Gray (left oblique strain) is expected to return this season but with modified innings.
UP NEXT
LHP Dallas Keuchel (2-7, 8.53 ERA) will make his Rangers debut Saturday night after being selected from Triple-A Round Rock. The 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner was designated for assignment by the Chicago White Sox after eight starts and again by Arizona on July 20 after four starts. He'll face Tigers LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-3, 3.89), who returned last Sunday after personal off-field issues sidelined him since mid-May and pitched five shutout innings to beat the Los Angeles Angels.