Rangers 7, Tigers 5: Matthew Boyd gets rocked again in loss

Matthew Boyd surrendered seven runs, six of them earned, over four innings to hand the Texas Rangers a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers in a rain interrupted game at Comerica park. The left-handed starter gave up seven hits, including a pair of two-run homers to give Texas all the runs they needed.

Joey Gallo opened the scoring in the second inning with a 453-foot blast over the stands in right field to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. Texas plated two more runs in the third inning on a ground out by Nomar Mazarra and a throwing error by third baseman Ronny Rodriguez, who had just been recalled. That gave Texas a 4-0 lead.

Texas catcher Isaiah Kiner-Falefa knocked in the Rangers’ fifth run in the fourth inning with an infield single, and Ronald Guzman followed with another two-run homer for the Rangers to make it 7-0. Artie Lewicki replaced Boyd to start the fifth inning, but the damage was already done.

The Tigers bounced back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Nicholas Castellanos led off with a walk and moved to third when Niko Goodrum reached on a throwing error by Guzman. John Hicks singled in Castellanos, moving Goodrum to second. After Victor Martinez grounded out to first, Jim Adduci singled, scoring Goodrum and moving Hicks to third. Rodriguez singled home Hicks, pushing Adduci to third, but Jose Iglesias grounded into an inning-ending double play to end the inning with Texas leading, 7-3.

The Tigers bullpen held the Rangers scoreless the rest of the way, with Lewicki, Buck Farmer, Daniel Stumpf, and Victor Alcantara patching together five scoreless innings on just one hit. Alcantara had been designated for assignment earlier in the year and cleared waivers, being recalled just before Thursday’s game.

Goodrum pulled the Tigers to within three with a solo blast, his eighth of the season, in the sixth inning to make it 7-4.

The Tigers threatened again in the ninth inning. Rodriguez reached on an infield single and moved to second when Iglesias reached on an error by third baseman Jurickson Profar. Victor Reyes singled home Rodriguez to make it 7-5. Jeimer Candelario pinch hit for Mikie Mahtook and grounded into a fielder’s choice to the pitcher. With the tying runs aboard on first and third and the winning run at the plate, Castellanos struck out and Goodrum grounded out to the pitcher to end the game.

Boyd has now allowed 20 earned runs in his last four starts after giving up just 27 runs in 13 starts prior to that. The Tigers will host the Rangers in the second of a four game series on Friday.