TIGERS 4, RANGERS 0
DETROIT -- Between an injury-riddled starting rotation and a dysfunctional bullpen, the Detroit Tigers know they don't have a realistic shot at the second AL wild card.
Alfredo Simon gave the Tigers and 33,727 fans a little hope Thursday night.
Simon threw a one-hitter in his first career complete game, a 4-0 victory over the Texas Rangers.
"That's probably the best he's thrown all year," Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus said. "What I really liked was the pace of his game. He got the ball, got on the mound and made the next pitch."
Texas entered play 1½ games behind the Los Angeles Angels for the second wild-card spot, while the Tigers were three games further back.
The Rangers' only hit came with two outs in the fifth, moments after first baseman Victor Martinez had made a diving stop to rob Mitch Moreland of a base hit. Rougned Odor ended the no-hitter with a double to left, but Texas never got a runner past second base.
"That pretty much summed up the night," Moreland said. "Simon pitched a great game, and when we did hit a ball hard, they made plays. We just come back tomorrow and try again."
Simon (11-7) walked two and struck out five. He threw 116 pitches, three short of his career high.
"I kept the ball down today, and attacked the hitters," said Simon, who has been pitching with a groin strain. "My leg felt better today, and all of my pitches were working."
Martin Perez (1-3) took the loss for Texas, giving up 3 runs, 6 hits and 3 walks. He struck out four.
"Perez just didn't have the range on his pitches," Texas Manager Jeff Banister said. "He did a decent job of limiting the damage, but he pitched himself into too much trouble."
The game was Prince Fielder's first at Comerica Park since he was traded to the Rangers after the 2013 season, and he was loudly booed in every at-bat. Fielder, who grew up at Tiger Stadium and helped Detroit to the 2012 World Series, left after angering the fans with what was seen as a too casual attitude to the Tigers' loss to Boston in the 2013 ALCS.
"I got booed the last time I was here, so why would it change?" Fielder said before the game. "What people think of me is none of my business."
The Tigers loaded the bases off Perez in the first and third innings, and both times, Nick Castellanos drove home Miguel Cabrera with the only run of the rally. In the first, one night after hitting a grand slam in Chicago, Castellanos singled, and in the third, he hit a sacrifice fly to right.
Cabrera made it 3-0 in the fifth, driving in Ian Kinsler with a single, while Martinez added a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The teams continue their four-game series today with Justin Verlander (1-5, 4.11) of the Tigers facing Colby Lewis (13-5, 4.49). Both pitchers started when the teams faced each other in the 2011 ALCS, but they didn't face each other.
Despite Verlander's lack of wins -- the Tigers are 2-9 in his 11 starts -- he has allowed 1 earned run in 5 of his last 7 outings.
RED SOX 4, ROYALS 1 Ryan Hanigan drove in two runs and scored another on Jackie Bradley Jr.'s triple to help host Boston beat Kansas City, ending the Royals' five-game winning streak. Wade Miley (10-9) left in the eighth inning, allowing just one run.
RAYS 1, ASTROS 0 Chris Archer pitched a one-hitter, allowing only a fifth-inning single by Colby Rasmus, and struck out 11 to lead visiting Tampa Bay over Houston. Archer (11-9) walked one and retired the final 15 batters, fanning five.
INDIANS 3, YANKEES 2 Josh Tomlin had his second impressive start since returning from shoulder surgery, Cody Allen worked out of his own jam in the ninth inning and Cleveland held on for a victory over host New York.
TWINS 15, ORIOLES 2 Rookie Tyler Duffey took a shutout into the eighth inning, and visiting Minnesota beat struggling Miguel Gonzalez and Baltimore. Minnesota's most productive offensive showing of the season coincided with a shoddy pitching performance by the Orioles, who hadn't allowed this many runs since July 16, 2012, when they gave up 19 to the Twins.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PIRATES 4, GIANTS 0 Charlie Morton combined with two relievers on a six-hitter and Neil Walker hit a two-run home run to lead host Pittsburgh over San Francisco. Morton (8-4) scattered 4 hits over 6 2/3 innings while striking out 8 and walking 2.
MARLINS 9, PHILLIES 7 Martin Prado homered and drove in three runs, Marcell Ozuna had a two-run home run, and Miami held on for a victory over visiting Philadelphia. Adeiny Hechavarria had two hits to extend his career-best hitting streak to 13 games for the Marlins.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, REDS 4 A.J. Pollock drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the eighth inning as Arizona came back from a 4-0 deficit to beat host Cincinnati in the opener of a four-game series. Chris Owings homered and drove in two runs as Arizona sent the Reds to their sixth consecutive loss.
CUBS 7, BRAVES 1 Jake Arrieta pitched six scoreless innings for his major league-leading 15th victory, and Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell homered to lead Chicago to a victory over visiting Atlanta. Rizzo's three-run drive capped a four-run third inning that saw Braves Manager Fredi Gonzalez get ejected.
ROCKIES 3, NATIONALS 2 Yohan Flande pitched seven strong innings and singled twice, driving in a run and scoring a run to lead host Colorado to a victory over Washington. Flande (3-1) allowed two runs and three hits to help the Rockies avoid a series sweep.
Sports on 08/21/2015