LDN - Sports

Lucroy's two HRs power Rangers' 8-5 win

[August 13, 2016] ARLINGTON, Texas -- Jonathan Lucroy drilled two home runs to back Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers outslugged the Detroit Tigers 8-5 on Friday night at Globe Life Park.

Lucroy has been on a tear since joining the Rangers at the trade deadline. The All-Star catcher has six homers and 11 RBIs with Texas after driving in five in the opener of a three-game series.

The American League West-leading Rangers improved to 69-48 after their sixth win in the last seven games. Texas has also beaten Detroit six straight times.

The Tigers (61-54) are headed in the wrong direction. Despite being second in AL Central and in the thick of the wild-card race, they have dropped five in a row and the first four on their current six-game road trip.

Darvish enjoyed the offensive output after failing to get much run support this season, especially since coming off the disabled list for the second time in mid-July. He was winless in his first five starts since despite a 2.73 ERA and .216 opponent's batting average.

Lucroy and his offensive teammates gave their right-handed ace all the support he needed with four long balls in the first five innings. Darvish cruised until running into some trouble in the seventh.

The Tigers, down 8-1, scored four runs in the inning on two-run homers from James McCann and Tyler Collins, the latter off Texas reliever Tony Barnette.

The rally ended there, and Darvish evened his record at 3-3.

Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez, coming off his best outing of the season, dropped to 6-12 after allowing all eight Texas runs and eight hits in four-plus innings.

The Rangers struck first with four runs on four hits off Sanchez in the first, three coming on Lucroy's three-run blast to left-center field. Lucroy's 18th of the season tied a career high.

The Tigers got on the board in the second on McCann's two-out double to left to score J.D. Martinez.

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A general view of the field and tarp during a rain delayed start of the game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Lucroy set a career best for homers with a two-run shot in the third. Mitch Moreland followed with a solo shot for a 7-1 lead.

Carlos Beltran went deep down the right-field line in the fifth to give Texas a seven-run advantage. Sanchez was yanked without getting an out in the inning.

NOTES: The game started after a two-hour, 40-minute weather delay. ... Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler returned to Texas for the first time since Rangers DH Prince Fielder retired earlier this week. Kinsler and Fielder were the key components of the blockbuster trade between the clubs in 2013. ... Detroit placed SS Jose Iglesias (left hamstring strain) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Warrick Saupold from Triple-A Toledo. Iglesias suffered the injury Wednesday night at Seattle, and was originally in the lineup Friday before being a late scratch. "I came today to try to run, and it grabbed me," he said. ... The Tigers reinstated RHP Bruce Rondon from paternity leave. ... Atlanta claimed INF Kyle Kubitza off waivers from Texas. He was designated for assignment on Wednesday.

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