Bibens-Dirkx Sharp As Rangers Blank Tigers 3-0
DETROIT (AP) — Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched impressively into the sixth inning, and the Texas Rangers blanked the Detroit Tigers 3-0 on Sunday.
Jurickson Profar homered in the first, and the Rangers salvaged a split of the four-game series. Bibens-Dirkx (2-2) allowed three hits and a walk in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five.
Shin-Soo Choo of the Rangers hit an infield single with two outs in the ninth, extending his on-base streak to 47 games. He surpassed the team record of 46, set by Julio Franco in 1993.
Jose Leclerc struck out five in 1 2/3 hitless innings of relief for Texas. Jake Diekman pitched the eighth, and Keone Kela finished for his 22nd save in 22 chances.
Texas manager Jeff Banister was ejected in the second inning after one of his players was called out for interference.
Michael Fulmer (3-8) allowed two earned runs and five hits in seven innings.
Detroit scored seven runs in the first inning of a win Saturday, but the Tigers have not crossed the plate since. This time it was Texas that took the lead in the opening inning on a solo homer by Profar.
The Rangers went ahead 2-0 in the second on an RBI single by Ronald Guzman. With men on first and second, Carlos Tocci dropped a bunt and was hit by the throw as he neared first. The ball bounced away, and it looked like Texas had scored another run, but Tocci was called out for interference, and the runners were sent back to first and second.
Banister argued and was ejected. Choo followed with a grounder that skipped past first baseman John Hicks for an error, and a run scored on that play to make it 3-0.
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