Josh Smith’s clutch double in the ninth inning drove in the decisive run, leading the Texas Rangers to a 5-4 victory over the error-prone Detroit Tigers.
With one out, Ezequiel Duran singled and advanced to second base on a mistake by first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Smith capitalized on the opportunity with a solid hit to right-center field, bringing Duran home for the win.
“I wanted to stay aggressive. The guys before me did a great job getting on base,” Smith remarked. “I tried not to let the pressure get to me at that moment.”
Kirby Yates secured the win by striking out the side in the ninth inning. Detroit’s Shelby Miller suffered the loss as the Tigers committed three errors, resulting in two unearned runs.
“We didn’t execute cleanly,” commented Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. “Errors may not always seem significant on the scoreboard, but today they were, and Texas capitalized on them. Every detail matters in a close game.”
The Rangers took an early lead in the first inning when Marcus Semien reached base on a throwing error and later scored on Adolis Garcia’s sacrifice fly. Kerry Carpenter’s homer for Detroit tied the game in the second inning.
The Rangers surged ahead in the sixth inning, benefiting from another defensive lapse by Detroit. Semien reached base on an error, setting the stage for Corey Seager and Garcia to drive in runs with key hits.
“Jonah showed great determination at the plate,” praised Texas manager Bruce Bochy. “His single may not have been a hard hit, but it was perfectly placed. Those timely hits were crucial for us.”
Detroit fought back, with Torkelson scoring on a throwing error in the bottom of the sixth and Parker Meadows hitting a home run in the seventh. The Tigers equalized in the eighth inning when Javier Baez drove in Matt Vierling with a single.
Despite a late scoring opportunity for Detroit in the ninth inning, Texas held on for the win. Dane Dunning’s gritty performance as the starting pitcher set the tone for the Rangers, who relied on four relievers to secure the victory.
“It was a gritty effort from Dane,” acknowledged Bochy. “He didn’t have his best stuff, but he battled through and made crucial pitches when needed. He found a way to get the job done.”
