Seager's RBI groundout and Taveras RBI single lead the Rangers over the Tigers 9
DETROIT (AP) — Leody Taveras scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning and added an RBI single in the ninth as the Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 9-7 on Thursday.
Taveras doubled with one out and went to third on Marcis Semien’s fielder’s choice, eluding a tag by Detroit third baseman Gio Urshela. Seager then grounded to first and Taveras scored to break a 7-all tie.
“He made a great play, ” Tigers manager A .J. Hinch said of Tavares’ play. “We made plenty of mistakes today, but that wasn’t one of them. It was a baseball athletic play that didn’t go our way.”
Jose Leclerc (1-1) got the win in relief for Texas, which won three out of four games in Detroit. Kirby Yates earned his second save
Shelby Miller (3-2), the fifth of six Detroit pitchers, took the loss for the second day in a row.
The game marked the major league debut of Texas starter Jack Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft. He was brought up from Triple A Round Rock, where he was 1-1 with 25 strikeouts and three walks in 14 innings over three appearances.