By Dave Hart
LocalSportsJournal.com
Rangers 8, Tigers 5 – The Texas Rangers blasted four home runs in Friday night’s series opener win over the Tigers.
The game was delayed nearly three hours due to storms around the area.
The Rangers jumped out to an 8-1 lead through five innings before Detroit responded with four runs on a pair of two-run homers by James McCann and Tyler Collins.
Texas was led offensively by Jonathan Lucroy with two home runs and five RBIs while Adrian Beltre chipped in with three hits, including a double.
McCann and Miguel Cabrera each had two hits to lead the Tigers in a losing effort while Ian Kinsler added a double.
Detroit’s starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez was rocked, allowing eight runs on eight hits in four innings.
The Tigers are now 61-54 on the season, good for second place in the American League Central Division behind the first-place Cleveland Indians. They are a game and a half back of the Boston Red Sox for the final playoff spot.
Detroit will look to snap its five-game losing streak with a win against the Rangers on Saturday night.
Record: 61-54
2nd Place in AL Central Division (5 games behind first-place Cleveland)
1.5 games behind Boston for the last playoff spot
Magic # to clinch a playoff spot: 50
Magic # to clinch an AL Central Division title: 54
Next Game: 08/13/2016 @ Texas Rangers 8:05 p.m. @ Globe Life Park in Arlington
Hitting stats: James McCann 2B (4) HR (9) 3 RBI (37), Tyler Collins HR (4) 2 RBI (12), Ian Kinsler 2B (22), Miguel Cabrera 2B (23).
Pitching stats: Anibal Sanchez L (6-12) 4 IP 8 H 8 R 8 ER 2 BB 4 K.
