ARLINGTON, Texas (Jul 18) \u2014 The Texas Rangers<\/a> used a very timely hit by Corey Seager<\/a><\/strong> in the eighth to beat the Detroit Tigers<\/a>, 2\u20130, Friday night. It was a very nice way to begin the second half of the season for the Rangers. They currently sit in third place in the AL West, eight games behind the division-leading Houston Astros<\/a>. They’ll try for the series win against the Tigers Saturday evening with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 pm Central at Globe Life Field. Right-hander Keider Montero<\/a><\/strong> (4\u20131, 4.02 ERA) will get the ball for the Tigers, while righty Kumar Rocker<\/a><\/strong> (3\u20134, 6.39 ERA) will take the hill for the Rangers.<\/p>\n Both teams traded zeroes for the first seven innings and change. The Tigers brought in reliever Tommy Kahnle<\/a><\/strong> to start the bottom of the eighth.<\/p>\n Sensing the restless energy among the crowd of 36,068, Kyle Higashioka<\/a> stepped in and lined a one-out double to right.<\/p>\n Cody Freeman<\/a><\/strong>, who was called up from Triple-A Round Rock before Friday’s game, pinch-ran for Higashioka. It marked Freeman\u2019s major league debut.<\/p>\n After Jonah Heim<\/a> grounded back to Kahnle, Josh Smith<\/a> drew a free pass. On deck was Seager, who found a gap and doubled to center, scoring both Freeman and Smith much to the delight of the appreciative crowd.<\/p>\n Rangers manager Bruce Bochy<\/a><\/strong> has been telling his players to grind out their at-bats all season long. That\u2019s exactly what they did on Friday. They fought until they turned the base paths into golden paths.<\/p>\n Seager\u2019s double put the Midas touch on this game, stretching his on base streak to 19 games.<\/p>\n The only challenge the Rangers faced on Friday night was the eight base runners they allowed as a team. Their pitching staff surrendered four hits and four walks. The saving grace was they stranded every last one of them.<\/p>\n Rangers lefty Patrick Corbin<\/a><\/strong> logged 5 2\/3 scoreless innings Friday, taking the no-decision. His final line was 3 H, 2 BB, 6 SO, 92 pitches\/56 strikes. He lowered his season ERA from 4.15 to 3.91 \u2013his lowest ERA after 18 starts in a season since a 3.34 mark spanning his first 18 starts of 2019 with the Washington Nationals<\/a>. Friday marked his first scoreless start as a Ranger and longest scoreless outing since August 27, 2024 against the New York Yankees<\/a> as a member of the Nationals.<\/p>\n The win went to reliever Chris Martin<\/a><\/strong>, who tossed an inning in relief, yielding a walk and striking out one. His record now sits at 1\u20135 with an ERA of 2.14.<\/p>\n Robert Garcia<\/a> notched his seventh save of 2025 after allowing a hit and striking out two in the ninth.<\/p>\n Tigers starter Reese Olson<\/a> worked into the sixth and registered his fourth scoreless start of 2025. His line was 5.0+ IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO, 90 pitches\/58 strikes. Olson tallied six strikeouts, this after totaling four punch-outs across his last two starts before the All-Star break. He escaped a first-and-third, one-out situation unscathed in the third, inducing a shallow fly-out from Smith before striking out Seager to end the frame.<\/p>\n Olson was lifted after yielding a lead-off double to Heim in the sixth. Southpaw Tyler Holton<\/a><\/strong> stranded the inherited runner. Olson boasts a 2.05 ERA in four career starts against the Rangers but has never recorded a victory against them, as Detroit has provided him with two total runs of support in those four outings.<\/p>\n Kahnle was saddled with the loss after allowing the Seager double, bringing his record to 1\u20133 with an ERA of 4.85. He tossed one inning, giving up two runs, both earned, on two hits and a walk.<\/p>\n After the game, Bochy had a content expression on his face as he held court with reporters and discussed the win. \u201cThis was a nice win for us,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had some timely hits. Obviously the big one came from Corey (Seager) but what a hit from Higgy. It was a great win coming out of the break.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\nSeager’s Big Hit<\/h4>\n
What Went Right for the Rangers<\/h4>\n
What Went Wrong for the Rangers<\/h4>\n
Nice Night for Corbin<\/h4>\n
Olson\u2019s Evening<\/h4>\n
Bochy\u2019s Postgame Comments<\/h4>\n
Main Photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>