Spencer Torkelson had two hits, including a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth, and Robbie Grossman hit a three-run home run as the Detroit Tigers defeated the visiting Texas Rangers 7-3 on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers earned a split of the four-game series by winning for the second-consecutive day. Detroit ended a six-game losing streak Saturday.
Alex Lange (4-1), the second of six Tigers pitchers, earned the win despite allowing a hit and a walk in one-third of an inning. Dane Dunning (1-5) took the loss for Texas, surrendering five runs on four hits and four walks, while striking out two in 4 2/3 innings.
Both teams scored in their first at-bat. The Rangers’ Corey Seager ripped a solo home run to center field off Tigers’ starter Drew Hutchinson, his 15th of the season. Detroit responded by taking a 3-1 lead on Grossman’s three-run blast off Dunning that scored Victor Reyes and Harold Castro.
Texas pulled to within 3-2 in the fourth on Nathaniel Lowe’s single to bring home Adolis Garcia, who reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second base. The Rangers tied the game in the fifth when Garcia singled to drive in Marcus Semien, whose own single chased Hutchinson.
The tie didn’t last long as Spencer Torkelson’s produced a two-run single in Tigers’ half of the fifth off reliever Dennis Santana to score Castro and Javier Baez, both of whom reached off of Dunning.
Detroit added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. Torkelson evaded a tag at the plate to score on Tucker Barnhart’s fielder’s choice. Grossman then singled to drive in Jonathan Schoop to make it 7-3.
Torkelson, Grossman and Reyes had two hits each in the Tigers’ eight-hit attack. Texas managed just five hits, with only Seager’s homer for extra bases.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the third inning.
–Field Level Media
