Jonah Heim hit a two-run home run, Marcus Semien and Adolis Garcia delivered solo shots and the visiting Texas Rangers topped the Detroit Tigers 9-7 on Thursday afternoon.
Semien had three hits and scored twice for Texas, which won the series 3-1. The teams combined for 24 hits, 13 by the Rangers.
Texas starter Jack Leiter, the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft, allowed seven runs in 3 2/3 innings in his major league debut. Jose Leclerc (1-2) picked up the win in relief and Kirby Yates notched his second save.
With the game tied 7-7 in the eighth, Leody Taveras hit a one-out double, reached third in a botched rundown and scored the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice. Taveras added an RBI single in the ninth.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy was ejected in the eighth for arguing a call.
Kerry Carpenter drove in two runs for the Tigers, while Riley Greene had two hits, two runs and an RBI.
Detroit starter Kenta Maeda gave up six runs (five earned) in 2 2/3 innings. Shelby Miller (3-2) gave up an unearned run and took the loss.
The first batter of the game, Semien, deposited a 2-0 fastball from Maeda just over the left-center field wall to give Texas a quick lead.
Texas’ lead grew to 4-0 in the next inning on Wyatt Langford’s RBI double and Heim’s long ball.
Detroit tied the contest in the bottom of the inning. With two runners on, Baez ripped an RBI double. Carson Kelly’s groundout brought home another run. Greene then tripled to center, knocking in Baez, before Mark Canha’s RBI single completed the four-run uprising.
Maeda couldn’t hold the lead for long. The second batter in the third inning, Garcia, clubbed a solo homer over the left-center field wall. Langford drew a two-walk and advanced to third on Heim’s single. An error by second baseman Colt Keith allowed Langford to score.
Semien doubled in the fourth, moved to third on an error and scored on Evan Carter’s sacrifice fly to make it 7-4.
The Tigers tied it in the bottom of the inning on Carpenter’s two-run triple that Taveras misplayed in center, followed by Spencer Torkelson’s RBI double.
