Tigers 7, Rangers 2
DETROIT -- Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta drove in two runs apiece, lifting the Detroit Tigers to a 7-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday at Comerica Park.
Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter each had two hits and scored two runs for Detroit, which scored all of its runs in the first two innings. Doug Fister (7-5) pitched six strong innings, striking out five, for the American League Central Division-leading Tigers.
Fister, who gave up at least six runs in three of his previous four outings, notched just his second victory since May 14. He scattered eight hits before Bruce Rondon, Drew Smyly and Joaquin Benoit combined for three scoreless innings.
A.J. Pierzynski had three hits, including his ninth homer, for Texas. Adrian Beltre went 0-for-4, snapping his 13-game hitting streak. Starting pitcher Justin Grimm gave up all seven Detroit runs and was removed in the fourth inning.
The Tigers jumped to a 7-0 lead in the first two innings. They batted around in the first inning against Grimm while taking a 5-0 lead.
Jackson and Hunter provided the spark with back-to-back doubles. Martinez had a bases-loaded walk and Peralta supplied a two-run double before Grimm got an out. Alex Avila's single brought in the fifth run.
Miguel Cabrera drove in his 95th run with a sacrifice fly in the second. Martinez stretched his hitting streak to 14 games two batters later with an RBI double to make it 7-0.
Texas answered in the fourth with a Pierzynski solo homer and a Jurickson Profar RBI single to make it 7-2.
NOTES: Profar, a rookie, made his third start in left field. A natural shortstop, Profar has started at four different positions but his batting average has dropped from .292 to .232 over his last 17 games. Manager Ron Washington denies the position switches have affected Profar's hitting. "Two different things," Washington said. "I certainly don't see where he can't handle it. What you're seeing offensively is total inexperience." ... Detroit manager Jim Leyland met the media for the first time on Friday afternoon after his ejection on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox. Leyland and reliever Luke Putkonen were ejected after Putkonen threw a pitch behind Alexei Ramirez. "That's the maddest I've been in the eight years since I've been here," he said. "I totally lost it." ... Detroit's Max Scherzer will make his second attempt to go 14-0 when he faces the Rangers on Saturday. He's trying to become the first pitcher to reach that mark since Boston's Roger Clemens started 14-0 in 1986.