Detroit Tigers Lose 7-6 to Texas Rangers as Porous Defense Looms Large

Sep 29, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Jefry Marte (55) makes an error allowing Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre (not pictured) to score during the first inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Detroit Tigers dropped the second game of their series against the Texas Rangers 7-6. Daniel Norris and Cole Hamels to the mound for their respective teams in a game that many expected to be low scoring, but was not. The Tigers also played one of their worst defensive performances with 3 errors on the night with at least 2 other defensive miscues.

Norris, who was perfect in his last start, was anything but. He got no help from his defense as they committed two errors and a single off of a player’s glove in his 1.2 innings of work, but almost everything was hit hard off of him. Norris finished the night with a line of 1.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K.

The Tigers got the scoring started in the top of the first. With two outs, Miguel Cabrera walked and J.D. Martinez hit his 38^th home run of the year to give the Tigers the 2-0 lead.

The Rangers struck right back in the bottom of the first. Delino DeShields hit a ball to second base to open the inning. Shin-Soo Choo was the next batter and he brought DeShields home with a two-run home run. Adrian Beltre then singled to right field and Prince Fielder walked to put runners on second and third.

Mike Napoli then hit a ball to first base, but Jefry Marte made a costly error to plate Beltre and give the Rangers the 3-2 lead. Elvis Andrus then drove a run home with a sacrifice fly and Rougned Odor brought home with an RBI triple to give the Rangers the 5-3 lead.

The Tigers got right back to scoring in the top of the second. Bryan Holaday deposited a solo home run in his return to his home state. Anthony Gose later singled in the inning, stole second, and came home on a Rajai Davis single to cut the deficit to 5-4.

The Rangers answered back in the bottom of the 2^nd. DeShields doubled on a ground ball down the left field line to lead off the inning. Choo then grounded out to first to move him up. Adrian Beltre then hit a ball hard off of Marte’s glove to bring home DeShields to give the Rangers the 6-4 lead.

The Tigers didn’t want to feel left out of the scoring, so they tied the game in the top of the 3^rd. With two outs, J.D. Martinez walked, Andrew Romine was hit by a pitch, Marte singled to left scoring Martinez, and Dixon Machado doubled to right field to score Romine and tie the game at 6-6.

The Rangers retook the lead in the bottom of the 4^th. Shin-Soo Choo doubled with one out. Beltre then hit a fly ball to right field that J.D. Martinez just whiffed on. The ball bounced into the stands for a ground rule double to give the Rangers the 7-6 lead.

After the fourth, both teams threatened, but neither scored for the rest of the game. The Tigers put runners on first and third in the top of the ninth with one out, but Rajai Davis popped up a bunt and Drew Stubbs made a great running catch to take away an extra base hit away from Ian Kinsler to end the game with the Rangers inning 7-6.

These two teams will face off in the final game of their series on Wednesday night at 8:05. Matt Boyd will take the mound for the Tigers against Yovani Gallardo.