Rangers drop Tigers

4/26/2010

ARLINGTON, Texas - Colby Lewis needed a couple of innings to figure out that he should throw more than just his fastball.

Lewis started doing a better job of mixing his pitches after giving up four runs in the first two innings, and the Texas Rangers went on to an 8-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers yesterday.

Lewis (3-0) threw 50 pitches and allowed eight baserunners in the opening two innings before settling down, getting 16 consecutive outs from the second through the seventh.

"Colby was outstanding," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He got off to a rough start, but he righted the ship."

Michael Young had three hits and drove in five runs, and David Murphy homered in support of Lewis.

Tigers rookie Austin Jackson hit his first major league homer, leading off the game with a 410-foot shot off Lewis' 2-0 pitch that sailed onto the grass hitter's background in center field.

Ramon Santiago followed with a single, and Santiago raced home on Johnny Damon's double that stretched his hitting streak to 12 games. Don Kelly's RBI single later in the first made it 3-0.

Tigers starter Rick Porcello (1-2) gave up six runs and 10 hits over four innings before he was replaced by Dontrelle Willis, who was scratched from Saturday night's start because of flulike symptoms.

Willis, who's scheduled to start again on Thursday at home against Minnesota, walked three in the fifth, and two scored on Young's single that boosted Texas' advantage to 8-4.

Tigers starters continue to struggle, which has overextended the bullpen.

Manager Jim Leyland said his starters must provide more innings.

"It's simple," Leyland said. "This is about pitching, and right now our starting pitching has not pitched well."

NOTES: Leyland said he would not use "under any circumstances" three members of his overworked relief corps: RHPs Joel Zumaya and Eddie Bonine and LHP Brad Thomas. "I've been around long enough to know that you've got to protect your pitching," Leyland said. "You start using guys too much and they're gonna get hurt, you can take it to the bank." ... Detroit OF Magglio Ordonez got the day off.