Detroit, MI (Sports Network) – Max Scherzer turned in seven scoreless innings and Gerald Laird hit an early two-run blast as Detroit snapped a seven-game skid by topping Texas, 4-1, in the finale of a three-game series from Comerica Park.
Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera drove in a run each for the Tigers, who salvaged a game in the set.
Scherzer (7-7) scattered four hits, fanning five with three walks and won for the third time in his last four starts.
“I came in with the mentality that I was gonna end this seven-game losing streak,” Scherzer said of his mindset on the mound. “It’s been bad, starting off since the All-Star break. For me to go out there and put up seven zeroes was a serious matter.”
Texas’ Colby Lewis (9-6) suffered the loss after yielding nine hits and four runs over seven full frames.
Josh Hamilton knocked in a late run for the Rangers, who had won five of six coming in.
Detroit provided Scherzer with offense in the second inning. Carlos Guillen worked a leadoff walk and Laird sent him home with a one-out, two run shot to left.
Michael Young tripled to start the Texas fourth, but was stranded there after the next three batters didn’t manage to get the ball out of the infield.
Texas then put men on first and second with one out in the seventh, but Bengie Molina grounded into an inning-ending, 6-4-3 double play.
The Tigers responded with two more in the home portion on an Ordonez RBI single and a sacrifice fly from Cabrera.
Phil Coke turned away the Rangers in the eighth.
Jose Valverde put two men on in the ninth when he walked Ian Kinsler and hit Vladimir Guerrero with a pitch. Both men advanced on a wild pitch before Hamilton’s grounder plated Kinsler. Nelson Cruz then fanned and David Murphy grounded to second to end the game.
“We felt flat in the dugout. “Don’t know why we felt that way,” Hamilton admitted of his club, which had an easy time winning the first two games in the series. “We weren’t in the game as much from the start as we needed to be. That’s something we can’t do, especially if you want to make the postseason, be there at the end.”
Game Notes
Despite the loss, Texas has taken four of seven games in the season series…Both clubs are on the diamond Thursday, with the Tigers staying home to host Toronto for four games and the Rangers returning home to welcome the Angels for four.