Texas Rangers vs Detroit Tigers Box Score on May 20, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 20, 2017

DETROIT -- Alex Avila, Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez hit consecutive home runs in the first inning, and the Detroit Tigers halted the Texas Rangers' 10-game winning streak with a 9-3 thumping on Saturday night at Comerica Park.

Avila reached base four times and came up a triple shy of a cycle while scoring twice and driving in three runs. Cabrera returned to the lineup after missing three games with a mild oblique strain.

Nicholas Castellanos supplied a three-run homer for the Tigers (21-20).

Justin Verlander (4-3) collected the win, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out five in seven innings.

Nomar Mazara had a two-run double and Jonathan Lucroy hit a solo homer for Texas (23-21).

Rangers starter A.J. Griffin (4-1) was pounded for nine runs on nine hits over 3 1/3 innings.

Griffin struck out Ian Kinsler prior to the Tigers' early power display in the first inning. Avila yanked his fifth homer in the right-field stands to get it started and Cabrera and Martinez then drilled shots to the opposite field for their fifth and sixth homers, respectively.

The last time the Tigers hit three consecutive homers was June 1, 2013, against the Baltimore Orioles.

Castellanos' three-run homer highlighted Detroit's four-run third. Kinsler scored on Cabrera's RBI groundout earlier in the inning before Castellanos' blast to right-center, which made it 7-0.

Mazara's two-run double in the fourth put Texas on the board. Avila got those runs back in the bottom of the inning with a two-run double of his own for a 9-2 Tigers' lead.

Kinsler exited after the fourth inning due to left hamstring tightness.

NOTES: Texas 3B Adrian Beltre is finally showing progress regarding his right calf strain and he could begin a rehab assignment within a week. The perennial All-Star, who has yet to make his season debut, said that he ran the bases at "50 to 60 percent" effort in Detroit on Saturday. "Adrian had a really nice day," manager Jeff Banister said. ... Rangers RHP Matt Bush was unavailable for Saturday's game. Banister did not want to use Bush three days in a row due to his prior injury issues. ... The Tigers recalled 1B/C John Hicks from Triple-A Toledo and returned RHP Buck Farmer to the Mud Hens. Hicks' stay could be abbreviated. DH Victor Martinez, who is on paternity leave, is expected to return for the start of the club's upcoming road trip. ... The Rangers had won seven consecutive games at Comerica Park.