Wednesday MLB: Texas Rangers (23-15) at Detroit Tigers (21-16)
Dontrelle Willis and the Detroit Tigers slowed the red-hot Texas Rangers on Tuesday night, holding the AL West leaders to just one hit in a 4-0 victory.
Texas was without 2008 All-Star Josh Hamilton on Tuesday because of lingering ribcage soreness, and he’s in question for Wednesday’s game and the rest of this series. Detroit is a -162 WagerWeb.com money line favorite for tonight’s game.
Rangers manager Ron Washington downplayed the severity of the injury, saying Hamilton could have stayed in the game Sunday after hurting himself when he jumped into the outfield wall to snare a line drive.
“It feels better than it did yesterday, so that’s a good sign,” Hamilton said Tuesday. “I’m never thinking DL. I’d like to play (Wednesday), but we’ll just have to wait to see.”
The 2008 Home Run Derby champ has had a bad season, with that ribcage costing him several games earlier in the season. Hamilton is hitting just .241 with five homers and 19 RBIs.
The Tigers have won four games in a row and will be without their own All-Star outfielder tonight as Magglio Ordonez remains with his wife, who is undergoing a health procedure. Detroit also won’t get back outfielder Carlos Guillen, who is eligible to return off the DL today with right shoulder inflammation. But Guillen isn’t ready.
Texas starts Matt Harrison (4-2, 4.23 ERA) tonight. He has won four straight starts, and his 0.78 ERA this month ranks second in the American League. Harrison faced Detroit on April 11, allowing all four Tigers runs and walked five in 5 2/3 innings.
Detroit starts its best pitcher in Justin Verlander (3-2, 4.29). His 1.21 ERA in May is third in the AL. He has given up three runs on 16 hits over 29 1/3 innings in his last four starts while racking up 44 strikeouts and is 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA in six career outings against Texas, striking out 33 batters in 36 1/3 innings.
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