The Texas Rangers will attempt to conclude the first half of the season with road wins over both of the Detroit Tigers’ All-Star right-handers when they finish their season series on Sunday. The Rangers snapped Max Scherzer’s 20-game regular-season unbeaten streak and ended his bid to become the first pitcher in major-league history to enter the break with a 14-0 record in Saturday’s 7-1 victory. The offensive outburst snapped a three-game losing skid for Texas, which mustered just four runs in that stretch.
Detroit fell to 9-13 against left-handed starters in Saturday’s loss and face another in the finale in Martin Perez, but might be happy just to get a vintage performance from Justin Verlander. The Tigers are only 10-9 when the six-time All-Star takes the mound this season and have lost four of his last six starts. Verlander, who is coming off a loss in which he allowed a season-high 12 hits, was tagged for a career high-tying eight runs over 2 2/3 innings on May 16 in his last start against Texas.
TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, TBS, Fox Sports Southwest (Texas), Fox Sports Net Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (3-1, 2.08 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (9-6, 3.71)
Perez improved to 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA over his last four starts since being recalled on June 22. He allowed four runs (two earned) and six hits over six innings in Tuesday’s 8-4 road win against the Baltimore Orioles. The 22-year-old left-hander has yet to record more than five strikeouts in any of his 11 career starts, but has finished the sixth inning in three of his last four turns. Perez was rocked in relief last season in his only career outing against Detroit, giving up four runs over two-thirds on an inning.
Verlander fell apart late in Tuesday’s 11-4 home setback against the Chicago White Sox, giving up four of his five runs in the eighth inning without recording an out. The 2011 American League MVP fell to 3-4 with a 4.40 ERA this season at Comerica Park, where he is allowing opposing hitters to bat .284. Despite his abysmal outing at Texas in May, Verlander is 7-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 12 career turns against the Rangers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twenty-nine of the 34 hits that Perez has allowed this season have been singles.
2. Detroit 3B Miguel Cabrera, who needs five RBIs to become the third player in major-league history with 100 before the break, is batting a league-leading .420 against left-handers.
3. Rangers 2B Ian Kinsler stole his first base in 21 games Saturday, giving him 162 for his career to break Bump Wills’ team record.
PREDICTION: Rangers 3, Tigers 2