The Tigers left eight men on base and squandered several opportunities to score, and the Texas Rangers came away with a 4-1 victory as a result.
Twice the Tigers (13-16) started an inning by putting men on first and second. Neither time did they score. Light-hitting Gene Michael had the lone RBI---on a two-out single. But the Tigers didn't get enough of that kind of clutch hitting.
"We haven't found our stride yet," manager Ralph Houk said after yet another spotty offensive performance. "Everyone is trying to do too much."
While the Tigers have shown flashes of punch, the overall numbers show just 100 runs scored in 29 games---an average of 3.4 per game.
Tonight, it was the usual recipe for defeat: runners left on base, Tigers pitcher tosses a game good enough to win on some nights.
But not on this one.
Vern Ruhle turned in 6.2 strong innings (four runs, two earned; eight hits, one walk) but it still resulted in a loss, dropping his record to 1-4.
The Tigers did score first, however. In the second, red-hot Leon Roberts (.375) opened the inning with a double. Michael drove him home with a two-out single.
The Rangers finally broke through against Ruhle in the sixth. Jim Spencer doubled home Willie Davis, who had singled. Then Mike Hargrove followed with another double, plating Spencer, to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead.
Spencer had three hits and two RBI for the Rangers
In the seventh, the Rangers scored two more times, both unearned---thanks to a Michael error with two out, which kept the inning going. Spencer was again involved, singling home Davis once more.
The Tigers threatened in the eighth, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But Ben Oglivie hit into a 4-6-3 double play to pretty much kill the rally.
"I swung at the first pitch, which I normally don't do," Oglivie lamented afterward. "I guess that's why we're struggling. Guys aren't staying within themselves."
Roberts isn't struggling. He had three hits and is 10 for his last 29 at-bats.
"Wish we were winning more, though," Roberts said when asked about his hot hitting.
That pretty much sums it up.
Notes: Nate Colbert was out of the lineup. Oglivie played first base...The Tigers finally handcuffed Lenny Randle, who was 0-for-3. But Randle did walk and score a run. He's 8-for-22 against Detroit this year...Houk said the Tigers wouldn't place SS Tom Veryzer on the disabled list, despite his sore ankle which has caused him to miss four straight games. "Day to day," Houk said...DH Willie Horton batted cleanup for the first time this season and went 1-for-4.
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Tigers record: 13-16 (actual 14-15)
Home: 7-11
Away: 6-5
Last 10: 6-4
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