Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter throws against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning of a baseball game, Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Leody Taveras scored the winning run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning and added an RBI single in the ninth to lead the Texas Rangers to a 9-7 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.
Taveras doubled with one out advanced to third on Marcus Semien’s fielder’s choice grounder and scored on Corey Seager's grounder that broke a 7-all tie. Taveras added an insurance run with a two-out hit in the ninth.
Jose Leclerc (1-2) got the win in relief for Texas, which won three out of four games in Detroit. Kirby Yates, who picked up the win on Wednesday, earned his second save with a perfect ninth inning.
Shelby Miller (3-2), the fifth of six Detroit pitchers, took the loss for the second day in a row.
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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.
He is the son of Al Leiter, who won 162 games in 19 major league seasons.
Jack Leiter got off to a strong start, catching leadoff hitter Riley Greene looking for his first strikeout.
Texas Rangers - World Series Champions
He had a 1-0 lead after Semien, who had three hits, hit a leadoff homer.
The Rangers added three runs in the second, highlighted by Jonah Heim’s two-run homer, but the Tigers evened things with four in the bottom of the second on RBI hits by Javier Baez, Carson Kelly and Riley Greene and a run-scoring ground out.
Adolis Garcia homered to give the Rangers the lead in a two-run third, and Texas added another run in the fourth when Semien doubled and reached third on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by Seager.
Leiter’s day ended in the bottom of the fourth. With two out and two on, Kerry Carpenter drove home both runners with a triple to center field, then scored on a double by Spencer Torkelson.
He allowed seven earned runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.
To make room for Leiter, the Rangers optioned pitcher Grant Anderson to Round Rock.
TRAINER’S ROOM
The Rangers moved LHP Brock Burke (broken right hand) from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
The Rangers begin a weekend series at Atlanta on Friday. LHP Andrew Heaney (0-2, 5.75 ERA), will start against Atlanta’s Chris Sale (1-1, 4.58).
Detroit begins a weekend series at Minnesota. Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.91), will start against Joe Ryan (0-1, 2.60).
