Recap: Texas vs. Detroit
Sports Network | September 16, 2008
Arlington, TX (Sports Network) - Taylor Teagarden hit his first career grand slam and finished with a career-high five runs driven in and Travis Metcalf cracked a three-run homer, as the Texas Rangers outslugged the Detroit Tigers, 11-8, in the first of a three-game set.
Marlon Byrd had a two-run triple to cap a four-run eighth inning for Texas, which has won three of its last five games. Michael Young drove in a run in the win. Starter Brandon McCarthy lasted just 2/3 of an inning after suffering a strained flexor tendon in his right middle finger.
Gary Sheffield hit his 497th career homer, a three-run blast, for the Tigers, who have dropped five straight. Jeff Larish ended with a pair of RBI in defeat. Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-5 with an RBI and scored twice. Starter Dontrelle Willis was decent in his first start since June 9, giving up just three runs on two hits in five frames with four strikeouts and five walks. He left with a 4-3 lead, but got a no-decision and is still seeking his first win for Detroit after getting traded there last December from Florida.
Trailing by a run in the home eighth, Max Ramirez drew a lead off walk from Kyle Farnsworth (2-3), and it was first and second after Metcalf hit a single. Teagarden then crushed an RBI double to center which saw Metcalf get thrown out at the plate. Two batters later, Young slapped an RBI single to right. Josh Hamilton was intentionally walked and Byrd legged out a two-run triple to center, making it 11-8.
Frank Francisco (3-5), who also recorded the final out in the eighth, worked around a walk in the ninth to seal the deal and pick up the win.
The Tigers got on the board, 1-0, in the second inning. Matt Joyce stroked a double to right field off Luis Mendoza and, after Sheffield went down swinging, crossed home as Larish belted a double to left.
Detroit tacked on a three more runs in the fourth off Josh Rupe. Cabrera clubbed a one-out double and Joyce followed with a single. Sheffield then made it a 4-0 ballgame as he deposited his 17th homer of the year over the fence in left field.
Texas rallied to make it a 4-3 game in the home half. Nelson Cruz and Ramirez both worked walks and Metcalf notched his fifth homer of the season.
The Tigers made it a two-run game in the sixth as Larish's fielder's choice plated Cabrera, who had singled earlier in the frame.
The Rangers grabbed the lead in the home half. Hank Blalock clubbed a one-out single, Ramirez was plunked and Metcalf drew a walk to load the bases. Teagarden then launched the first pitch he saw over the fence in center for a grand slam which made it 7-5.
Detroit tied it up in the seventh on back-to-back RBI singles from Magglio Ordonez and Cabrera off Jamey Wright.
Ramon Santiago walked, stole second and crossed home as Placido Polanco slapped an RBI single off Francisco in the eighth. The run gave the Tigers an 8-7 lead.
With three RBI, Sheffield now has 1,629 to move past Harold Baines into 27th place on the all-time list...Detroit manager Jim Leyland was ejected in the sixth inning after arguing with home plate umpire Eric Cooper regarding Gary Glover's plunking of Ramirez...Detroit had won five of six against the Rangers this season.
