Game 1 (Final Score: 2-0, Tigers win)

The Tigers sent Nate Robertson to the mound to continue the win streak started by winning the previous series against the Angels 2-1. Nook Logan smacked a leadoff triple to left to start the game against the Rangers’ Chris Young only to be stranded as the next three batters couldn’t get the job done. Logan was the only base runner for either team to make it past first base safely until the eighth inning.

Hats off to both Robertson and Young, who seemed to have all the batsman stumped for most of the game. This streak of dominance ended when Rod Barajas hit a leadoff two bagger. Barajas, the catcher, was replaced by Laynce Nix on the base paths. Gary Matthews Jr. laid down a sad bunt that Ivan Rodriguez quickly fielded and threw out Nix at third. The next two Rangers batters also weren’t up to the task and surrendered easily to end the inning.

Ex-Tiger Francisco Cordero came in to relieve Young in the ninth and face the heart of the Tigers’ order. Rodriguez and Rondell White went down quickly, but Cordero did Dmitri Young a favor and walked him on five pitches. On a full count, Craig Monroe hit a triple, scoring Young and giving the Tigers the lead (1-0). On a side not, I love watching Young chug around the bases since he looks like he’s trying so hard to run quickly. Carlos Pena added some insurance by singling Monroe home in the next at bat (2-0).

Jamie Walker came in to face Hank Blalock after Ramon Martinez ended a productive inning. He gave up a single and was replaced by Ugueth Urbina to close out the game. Urbina threw a lot of pitches that inning even though he got the job done. He made it interesting by issuing a one out walk to Kevin Mench, giving Richard Hidalgo runners on first and second with only one out. Hidalgo hit a fly that wasn’t deep enough to advance the runners and pinch hitter David Dellucci swung and missed strike three. The winning streak stands at 3 games.

Game 2 (Final Score: 4-5, Rangers win)

I had to open my mouth about the winning streak. Sigh. Jason Johnson got into a spot of first inning trouble when he allowed two singles to Michael Young and Mark Teixeira, who were sent home on Hank Blalock’s double (0-2). Alfonso Soriano hit a deep fly ball to right for a double, scoring Hank Blalock (0-3).

Extra bases were again a concern for Johnson in the second inning when Gary Matthews Jr. doubled to left. Due to some poor hitting, he was stranded at third. On the third pitch of the third, Blalock hit a solo home run making the hole even deeper (0-4). Chan Ho Park cruised through the first five innings surrendering only a few hits including the wasted one out triple by Rondell White in the fourth.

In the six inning, the wheels came off Park’s pitching parade. Carlos Guillen and White hit a pair of singles with Guillen advancing and White out on Dmitri Young’s fielder’s choice. Craig Monroe singled, scoring Guillen, advancing D. Young, and bringing up Ramon Martinez, who flied out (1-4). Omar Infante was up next and he jumped on Park’s second pitch, hitting it for an RBI double (2-4). Ex-Tiger Doug Brocail entered the game to stifle the rally, only to allow the third and fourth runs of the inning on singles by Nook Logan and Brandon Inge (4-4). Ivan Rodriguez struck out ending the big inning.

Johnson held the lead for a half inning until he surrendered a second solo shot to the powerful (career .384 Slg.) Matthews Jr. (4-5). The Tigers rallied again in the eighth with runners on second and third (one out used) but wasted the opportunity. Johnson completed the game for the Tigers and took the loss while former Tiger farm hand Francisco Cordero closed it out successfully. This was a disappointing result since the Tigers got 9 decent innings from Johnson and the hitters left 10 men on base.

Game 3 (Final Score: 6-5, Tigers win)

Again the Tigers found themselves in a decisive game three. I must say I enjoy seeing the Tigers in almost every series this year, especially on the road. Young Wilfredo Ledezma was riding a 3 game losing streak and he went up against a similarly situated Pedro Astacio.

Both pitchers were solid through 3 innings before they decided to give the fans a show in the fourth. Dmitri Young’s leadoff double would have been wasted except Nook Logan homered off Astacio staking Ledezma to the lead (2-0). In the bottom half, Texas threatened with Mark Teixeira reaching first on Ledezma’s error and Alfonso Soriano inexplicably drawing a walk. Ledezma got the next man to fly out, leaving himself to deal with Richard Hidalgo. Well, he sure dealt with him, hitting him and loading the bases. He also dealt with Mark DeRosa, walking him on four pitches (2-1). Sandy Alomar Jr. continued the two out rally by plating Soriano and Hidalgo with his single to left (2-3). At last, the inning was over when power hitter Gary Matthews Jr. flied out.

After a scoreless fifth, Franklyn German relieved Ledezma in the sixth only to give up a triple to Kevin Mench and an RBI single to Richard Hidalgo before settling down nicely (2-4). Happily he didn’t allow any walks this outing. Kameron Loe relieved Astacio and pitched, well, a bizarre inning. He allowed two infield singles, a stolen base, and a two run wild pitch with Logan scoring from first after the Alomar throwing error, tying the game up (4-4). After the walk on the wild side, Doug Brocail came out again to pitch to the Tigers in the eighth. He pitched just badly enough giving the Tigers a single, a walk, and an RBI single by none other than Carlos Pena (5-4).

In the eighth, Logan hit a single, stole second, and made it to third on a wild pitch, setting the stage for Inge’s sacrifice fly (6-4). Walker and Farnsworth combined for scoreless seventh and eighth innings, bringing in the revitalized Urbina to close the game out. He made things interesting with a solo shot to David Dellucci but finished the game and series out (6-5).

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