Tigers jump out to early lead, cruise past Texas

Detroit Tigers' Quintin Berry (52) steals second as Texas Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler waits for the throw in the second inning of a baseball game in Arlington, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Miguel Cabrera drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, Rick Porcello struck out seven in six solid innings, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 8-2 Monday night.

After their first 12 batters, the Tigers had already roughed up Rangers rookie right-hander Justin Grimm (1-1) for six runs and eight hits in the 100-degree heat. They had only five runs and 15 hits while losing two of three in Pittsburgh over the weekend.

Cabrera had three of Detroit's 10 hits and is a .378 career hitter at Rangers Ballpark, where he has 18 doubles and 50 RBIs in 48 games.

In a rematch of last year's AL championship series, Cabrera put the Tigers ahead with a two-run double in the first. He added an RBI double in the sixth that made it 8-0.

Struggling slugger Josh Hamilton hit his first homer in his last 12 games for Texas, a two-run shot in the seventh. His 23rd homer pushed his majors-best RBI total to 66.

Porcello (5-5), who won for only the second time in his last nine starts, was gone by the time Hamilton homered, pulled after walking Leonys Martin to start that inning. That led to the only run against Porcello, who scattered six hits and walked three.

Nine days after his impressive winning major league debut against Houston nothing good happened for Grimm against the Tigers.

Austin Jackson led off the game with a double and Quintin Berry followed with a bunt fielded by Grimm. When the pitcher turned to throw, first base was uncovered because first baseman Michael Young charged in and second baseman Ian Kinsler didn't get there. Cabrera followed with a two-run double.

Delmon Young hit a run-scoring single, then Jhonny Peralta had an RBI double and scored on Ramon Santiago's single for a 5-0 lead.

Berry drew a leadoff walk to start the second, and Grimm was gone after Cabrera singled. Fielder greeted reliever Michael Kirkman with a sacrifice fly.

Fielder had a leadoff double in the fifth and scored on Peralta's grounder along the first-base line.

Though the Tigers have struggled this season and still have a losing record (36-37), they have good offensive games at Rangers Ballpark. They had hit .301 with 176 runs in their previous 25 games there.

Fielder, the husky first baseman who signed a $214 million, nine-year deal with the Tigers last winter after having some talks with Texas, even had a nifty 3-5-6-3 defensive play.

NOTES: Yu Darvish (9-4), who has won all six of his starts at Rangers Ballpark, pitches for Texas today. Drew Smyly (2-2) comes off the DL to start for Detroit. The lefty's been out since June 11 with a blister on his left middle finger. ... Berry had his 12th stolen base in 30 games.