Detroit Tigers Terrorize Texas Rangers

The pitching for Detroit was better, and the Tigers topped the previous night's season-high hit total by two.  All of this adds up to another Tiger victory, this time by an 8-1 score.  Starter Rick Porcello held the heavy-hitting Ranger lineup to just one run in six innings to rack up his sixth win of the season. 

While the Detroit hitters didn't score as often tonight, they pounded out 20 hits.  Austin Jackson had three hits and drove in three, Casper Wells, Victor Martinez and Alex Avila also had three hits.  Ryan Raburn had two hits and drove in two runs.  The Tiger batters are hitting their stride about now, and the team is a season-high six games above .500 at 33-27.  Cleveland beat the Twins 1-0 tonight, so Detroit still trails the Indians by a game and a half in the AL Central Division.

The Tigers go for the series sweep in tomorrow night's game in Texas, Phil Coke returns from the Disabled List to be the starting pitcher for Detroit. 

After tomorrow night's game, the Tigers come home for a 4-game series with the Seattle Mariners, then 3 against Cleveland.  If they can keep playing the way they have been recently, the Tigers could find themselves in first place by this time next week.  Let's hope so!