How did it happen: Pretty quickly. The Tigers scored three in the first inning: he sacrifice Miguel Cabrera drove in the first run, followed by RBI double to Victor Martinez and JD Martinez to make things work against Rangers starter Joe Saunders. The Tigers pushed the lead to 5-1 in the third, but the Rangers cut the deficit to 5-3 with three runs in the fourth. Saunders could not keep the game close, however; allowed a homer to Victor Martinez out a jump of 0-1.
Ron Washington saw enough and relieved for Shawn Tolleson, who was not much better; on the first pitch he threw, smashed JD Martinez homered to right-center for a 7-3 lead. The Rangers kept coming back, cutting the lead to 7-5 with two outs and a man on the seventh. Carlos Pena grounded out to first to end the inning. In the ninth, behind 8-5, the Rangers cut into the lead when Adrian Beltre singled in a run against former Ranger and current Tigers closer Joe Nathan. Pena reemerged as the tying run with two outs against Nathan, but struck out swinging on a fastball to end the game.
What it means: The Rangers currently have the longest losing streak in the majors at seven. This is the longest slide for this club from a run of seven games in September. If there are doubts about the alignment, there is only so the Rangers can do without a trade. The pitching has been inconsistent. Saunders fell to 0-4, and you have to wonder about their status in the rotation in the future.
Saunders said: Appeared Saunders finished his warm up throws early; wrapped while ESPN was doing an interview with Washington on the set of the game and at one point threw a warm-up pitch. Maybe I was out of sync when the game began. His first pitch sailed to the top, and gave her a first bat triple Rajai Davis. Ian Kinsler walked and fly out of Cabrera brought home the first run. Saunders could have lost a pace for the delay. He lasted just four innings, taken after the home run in the fifth with Martinez, allowing six runs and seven hits. He walked five and struck out two on 84 pitches.
Boos for Kinsler: Kinsler, former Ranger, received mostly cheers on Tuesday night in their first game in their old house. On Wednesday, there were more boos during his trips to the plate. He went 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored in the afternoon. Unlike its wave in the Rangers dugout on Tuesday after hitting a home run, there were no such shenanigans Sunday.
Pena starts: Pena failed to hit a ball out of the infield on Tuesday, but on Wednesday night he went 2-for-5 with a homer and two runs scored. It was the first homer since June 20, 2013 Peña when he played for Houston. The Rangers expect Peña can give a boost to a lineup that produced just 11 runs in the last five games entering Wednesday's game.
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