Short-handed Texas Rangers pound listless Detroit Tigers

May 24, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher

(left) walks off the field after being relieved in the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

You wouldn’t know that the Texas Rangers are playing baseball short-handed these days as they pounded the Detroit Tigers for a 12-2 victory on Saturday afternoon in Comerica Park. The Rangers, still a game under .500, look like the better team through two of the first three games at Comerica Park and have clinched at least a four-game series split against baseball’s best team in their home ballpark.

The Tigers got off to a quick start when a Rajai Davis double brought home Andrew Romine in the second. Starter Rick Porcello looked like his dominating 2014 self through the first four innings, but got into trouble in the fifth when he allowed four runs, which was more than young Texas starter Nick Martinez needed.

Martinez was making his fourth career start and made it look easy against Detroit batters, going six innings, allowing eight hits but just one run. Porcello, on the other hand, saw his consecutive win streak stopped at six and picked up his second loss of the season. It was Rick’s worst start of the season, allowing 12 hits and eight runs in just over five innings of work (it was a big of a nightmarish start that hearkened back to disastrous starts against the Angels a year ago).

Perhaps more troubling for the Tigers, their bullpen savior, the one and only option in the minors, Corey Knebel served up three runs in just one inning of work. The Tigers used position player Danny Worth on the mound for the second time this week. While it was a bit funny and a joke a few days ago, it’s getting a little unsettling that the bullpen is in such shambles that he’s being turned to. Worth ruined his 0.00 ERA by allowing a ninth inning run.

Aside from Anibal Sanchez, this turn through the Tigers rotation has been a nightmare. Here’s hoping Justin Verlander, who started the rotation tail spin, can get it in gear tomorrow so Detroit can salvage a split before hitting the road for a West Coast trip to Oakland and Seattle.

He’ll be opposed by Colby Lewis.

The curse of the full Zubaz outfit lives on. The Tigers are 1-5 since their tiger stripped outfits went viral last Monday morning.