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Well, you were warned.
Actually, the Texas Rangers played decent baseball in Detroit this week despite a three-game sweep. Just not so sure they played smart baseball. Especially in this afternoon’s 4-3 loss to the Tigers, their franchise-record 11th consecutive defeat in Detroit.
Nursing a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 8th, Kevin Millwood allowed a two-out RBI single to Miguel Cabrera on his 119th pitch. The good news is that for the first time in a long time the Rangers trust their starters. The bad news is they don’t yet have a no-brainer set-up man.
Then in the 9th, needing a run to tie it, manager Ron Washington grew conservative. After watching his team steal five bases – including third base three times with two out – Elvis Andrus sat on first during the suddenly struggling Ian Kinsler’s (in a 3-of-25 slump) strikeout. A steal there, and Andrus scores on David Murphy’s one-out single.
Instead, with runners at the corners, Michael Young (who left six men on base) grounded sharply into a game-ending double-play. Inning. Game. Series. Season. At least in Detroit. The Rangers won’t visit Detroit again this year unless it’s the playoffs.
And that’s a good thing.
The Rangers are 0-6 in Detroit and 23-11 against the rest of the world.
Some nauseating, lingering questions as Texas heads to Houston …
*Should Washington have yanked Millwood in the 8th? What did Millwood think: Here.
