It’s been a dream April so far for the Texas Rangers, but Monday in Detroit might have been the high point. The Rangers entered Comerica Park – a chamber of horrors for them in recent years – riding a 16 inning shutout streak but staring at a matchup between Tigers ace Justin Verlander and their fifth starter, Alexi Ogando.
Verlander and Ogando both dominated, but it was Ogando who maneuvered through the middle innings unscathed. With the game scoreless in the top of the seventh, Josh Hamilton walked and Adrian Beltre singled. Michael Young doubled off of the right field wall to score Hamilton, and two batters later Mitch Moreland drove in Young for the second run with his own double off of the right field wall.
Ogando lasted one more inning before fluid under a callus in his finger forced an exit after just 79 pitches. He had completed seven innings and allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out four. Through two starts has has now pitched 13 scoreless innings and has allowed just seven baserunners.
Darren Oliver pitched a scoreless eighth, and Neftali Feliz retired Victor Martinez with the tying run on first base for his fourth save. The shutout extends the Rangers’ scoreless streak to 25 innings.
The Rangers and Tigers will face off at noon central time again tomorrow, with C.J. Wilson taking on Brad Penny.