DETROIT — Leody Taveras hit the go-ahead hit on a fielder's choice in the eighth inning and added an RBI in the ninth as the Texas Rangers defeated the Detroit Tigers 9-7 on Thursday.
Taveras hit a double with one out, advanced to third base on a fielder's choice by Marcis Semien, and escaped a timely hit by Detroit third baseman Gio Urshela. Seager then grounded out to first base and Taveras scored to break the 7-all tie.
“He played great,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said of Tavares' play. “I made a lot of mistakes today, but that wasn't one of them. It was an athletic play of baseball that didn't go my way.”
Jose Leclerc (1-1) got the win in relief for Texas, which won three of four games in Detroit.Kirby Yates made his second save.
Shelby Miller (3 wins, 2 losses), the fifth of Detroit's six pitchers, suffered a loss for the second consecutive day.
The game marked the major league debut for Texas starter Jack Reiter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft. He was developed out of Triple-A Round Rock and went 1-1 with 25 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings in three appearances.
“He was fine,” Texas coach Bruce Bochy said. “He had a little bit of trouble getting into his position in the second inning, but he bounced right back in the third and got two quick outs before running into trouble in the fourth.”
He is the son of Al Leiter, who won 162 games in 19 major league seasons.
Jack Reiter got off to a strong start, catching leadoff batter Riley Greene looking for his first strikeout.
Semien, who had three hits, gave Reiter the first run with his first home run. The Rangers added three runs in the second inning with a two-run home run by Jonah Heim, but the Tigers scored four runs in the bottom of the second with RBIs by Javier Báez, Carson Kelly, and Riley Greene and a ground out to tie the game. . .
Adris Garcia hit a home run in the third to give the Rangers a two-run lead, and Texas added one more in the fourth, when Semien doubled, reached third base on an error, and scored on Seager's sacrifice fly. .
Bochy's day came to an early end, as he was ejected in the eighth inning after debating whether a ground ball that crossed the third base line was fair or foul.
The writer's day ended in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two out and two on, Kelly Carpenter hit a triple to center field to drive both runners to home plate, then Torkelson scored with a double.
He gave up 7 runs on 8 hits in 3 2/3 innings (all earned runs). He had three walks and three strikeouts.
“Obviously it's a surreal experience,” Jack Leiter said. “It's something I've dreamed of since I was a kid. I've always been around the game and today is a special day. I know I'm getting better, and I need to be better, and I… And it's like some pitches that I left on the table and some mistakes that I made and it's like frustration.”
To free up space for Leiter, the Rangers assigned pitcher Grant Anderson to Round Rock.
trainer room
The Rangers moved LHP Brock Burke (right hand fracture) from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. He underwent surgery on the fifth metacarpal in his right hand Thursday by Dr. Paul Hovis in Arlington, Texas. Burke will be eligible to return on June 12th.
next
The Rangers begin their weekend series in Atlanta on Friday. LHP Andrew Heaney (0-2, 5.75 ERA), whose scheduled start on Thursday was postponed by one day, will start for Texas against Atlanta's Chris Sale (1-1, 4.58 ERA).
Detroit begins its weekend series at Minnesota. Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.91) will face Joe Ryan (0-1, 2.60).
