DETROIT (AP) — Justin Verlander allowed three hits in six innings and the Detroit Tigers, despite hitting into a triple play, won their fifth straight game, 5-3 over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night.
Wilkin Ramirez, making his major league debut, broke a 1-1 tie with a homer in the sixth inning.
Verlander (6-3) gave up one run and walked two to improve to 4-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his last five starts. He did fall short of becoming the first pitcher in Tigers history to strike out 10 or more batters in four straight starts, finishing with eight.
Gerald Laird lined into a triple play, the Rangers' first since 2002, in the fourth.
Matt Harrison (4-3) took the loss, allowing five runs and nine hits in five-plus innings.
Three Detroit relievers finished, with Fernando Rodney pitching the ninth for his seventh save in as many opportunities.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead on Ryan Raburn's second-inning homer, and threatened in the fourth when Brandon Inge led off the inning with a double and Raburn walked.
The runners broke on a 1-0 pitch to Laird and he lined out to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who flipped to Elvis Andrus. The shortstop stepped on the base, doubling off Inge, then tagged Raburn.
It was the third triple play in the majors this season.
The Rangers didn't have a hit through four innings, but Verlander struggled in the fifth. He needed 41 pitches to get through the inning, allowing his only run on three singles and a walk. David Murphy bounced out to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Ramirez, who had struck out in his first two at-bats, hit a 433-foot homer into the shrubs above the fence in center field. After Miguel Cabrera singled, Inge made it 4-1 with his 11th homer.
The Tigers added a run in the inning on a wild pitch by Jason Jennings. The Rangers cut the deficit to 5-2 in the seventh when Nelson Cruz homered on Brandon Lyon's first pitch.
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