Calhoun's 3-Run Triple Keys Rangers In 9-4 Win Over Tigers
ARLINGTON, TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Rangers manager Chris Woodward stayed with Nomar Mazara and Willie Calhoun, and they delivered.
Calhoun hit a tiebreaking three-run triple in the seventh inning, and Texas beat the Detroit Tigers 9-4 on Sunday to finish a three-game sweep.
The Rangers had runners on the corners with two out in the seventh when Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire replaced José Cisnero (0-3) with Nick Ramirez.
Mazara and Calhoun were both hitting .200 against lefties, and Mazara was benched the previous three games against lefty starters. But Woodward sent them to the plate anyway.
Mazara worked a walk from a 1-2 count before Calhoun pulled a 2-0 pitch just inside the right-field line. Calhoun later scored on a wild pitch.
"For (Mazara) to be able to fight back and see that many pitches kind of like set it up for me," said Calhoun, who is hitting .303 since being recalled from Triple-A Nashville on July 25. "Against a lefty, it's nice to be able to square him up pretty good."
Rafael Montero (1-0) closed with 2 1/3 scoreless innings for his first major league win since September 2017 with the New York Mets. Texas' four-game win streak is its longest since a six-game streak in late June.
The Tigers went 2-8 on a 10-game road trip.
Detroit right-hander Jordan Zimmermann permitted four runs and six hits in six innings. He was trying to win for the second straight time after going 0-8 in his first 13 starts of the season.
Zimmermann had retired eight straight batters and was working with a 3-2 lead with one out in the fifth when Shin-Soo Choo hit a liner back to the mound. Zimmermann spun to his left and dropped to the dirt as the ball skimmed off the top of his glove for a hit.
"I was fine," Zimmermann said. "(Trainer Doug) Teter came out there, made sure everything was good."
The next batter was Danny Santana, who hit a 2-2 slider into the seats in right.
Texas rookie Pedro Payano allowed three runs, two earned, and six hits in 4 1/3 innings in his second career start.
The Rangers are now 57-54 and will take on the Cleveland Indians tomorrow at 6:10 p.m.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
