Rangers-Tigers Game 3
Detroit, MI – The Texas Rangers ended the first half of the season getting swept at home by a last-place club. They’ve opened the second half winning road series against two playoff contenders.
On Wednesday, the Rangers look to complete a three-game road sweep of the slumping Detroit Tigers for the first time in nearly six years.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Tigers –103 money line favorites for Wednesday’s game against the Rangers. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 54% of more than 159 bets for this game have been placed on the Tigers –103.
Texas (55-39) led the AL West by 4 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West at the break, but the Rangers closed with four-game sweep at the hands of AL-worst Baltimore and were facing a tough six-game road trip to open the second half of the season.
The Rangers, who were outscored 23-12 by the Orioles, have come out of the break hot, however, winning two of three at Boston and the first two against the Tigers (48-44).
They followed up a 14-inning win Monday with an 8-0 rout Tuesday as Tommy Hunter scattered three hits in seven innings while Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler both homered.
"This is a good team," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "That’s why they’re leading the division."
Hamilton, who had three hits to raise his average to .357, is 13 for 26 with five RBIs during the road trip. The Texas slugger will try to help his team complete a three-game sweep in Detroit for the first time since Aug. 3-5, 2004.
The slumping Tigers have dropped seven in a row, getting outscored 43-17 while hitting .213 over that stretch.
"What I and we need to do is look in the mirror, turn it around, play more relaxed and make something happen," said Miguel Cabrera, who is 5 for 10 with two homers in this series.
Detroit hasn’t dropped eight straight since Sept. 16-23, 2005.
After Hunter became the first Ranger to start a season 7-0 pitching only as a starter, Colby Lewis (9-5, 3.42 ERA) will take the mound trying to match a career high with his 10th win.
Lewis has won his last two starts. He gave up three runs and struck out seven in five innings of an 8-4 win at Boston last Friday, improving to 5-1 in his last seven starts.
In his only start against the Tigers, Lewis gave up four runs and struck out 10 in 6 1-3 innings of an 8-4 win on April 25. His lone 10-win season came in 2003.
Detroit will hand the ball to Max Scherzer (6-7, 4.74), who struggled in his last outing, giving up four runs and walking five in five innings of an 8-2 loss to Cleveland on Friday. He was 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA in his previous four starts.
"Not good," Leyland told the Tigers’ official website. "His control was bad. He was totally out of sync."
The right-hander gave up four runs in seven innings of a 5-4 loss to Texas on April 23.
He’ll take the mound trying to help Detroit avoid being swept at home for the first time since Boston took three games from June 2-4, 2009.
Posted: 7/21/10 12:53AM ET