Tigers top Rangers, extend winning streak to five

Robbie Grossman and Eric Haase hit solo homers, Tarik Skubal tossed six sharp innings and the host Detroit Tigers extended their winning streak to five games by downing the slumping Texas Rangers 4-1 on Tuesday. The game was delayed 2 hours and 10 minutes by inclement weather. Skubal allowed one run on four hits, with no walks, while notching four strikeouts. Skubal (6-8) has won five of his last six decisions, dating back to May 30. Kyle Funkhouser, Jose Cisnero and Gregory Soto finished it off with a scoreless inning apiece. Soto, Detroit's All-Star representative, recorded his ninth save by striking out the side in the ninth. Harold Castro had two hits, a run scored and an RBI, while Jonathan Schoop added two hits and an RBI. Jeimer Candelario chipped in two hits and a run for Detroit, which has not lost since before the All-Star break. The Rangers dropped their seventh straight despite scoring for the first time in four games, on Andy Ibanez's double. Rangers starter Dane Dunning (3-7) was charged with three runs on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. Texas has been outscored 55-8 during the losing streak and 43-3 in five games since the All-Star break. The Tigers hold a 4-1 edge in the season series. Grossman gave Detroit a 1-0 lead in the first with his two-out solo shot into the right field stands. The Rangers finally ended their scoreless streak in the fifth. Nate Lowe had a one-out single before Ibanez banged a double off the right field fence, allowing Lowe to score. That ended a 27-inning scoreless streak. The Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on Haase's 14th homer, a liner over the left-center-field fence. Detroit added another run later in the frame as Castro singled and Derek Hill walked before Schoop's two-out RBI single. The Tigers made it 4-1 in the sixth. Candelario smacked a double and Castro brought him home with an opposite-field single. --Field Level Media