Detroit leapt out to a 5-0 lead, but since the Rangers eventually rallied for six of their own, the Martinez Brothers were forced to inflict further damage.

Let’s take it from the top: Rajai Davis led off the game with a triple before being drove home by Miguel Cabrera’s sacrifice fly. Back-to-back (a recurring theme) doubles from Victor and J.D. Martinez put us atop 3-0 in the first inning. Two innings later, we tacked on two more.

Anibal Sanchez pitched us five strong innings with a three-run blemish in the 4th inning.

That’s when the Brothers Martinez struck. Victor led off with a solo home run, and J.D. followed it up by smacking the next pitch out of the park, too. Those two runs in two swings really wiped out all the work Texas had just done to score three. And in the end, they would separate us from the Rangers.

Sanchez struck out five on the day and allowed six hits and one walk. He gave up one more solo homer before being pulled at 108 pitches. Blaine Hardy spotted the starter with one out in the 6th inning. He did the trick and ended the frame with two K’s.

Hardy got another strikeout in the 7th before turning over to Al-Al. Instant +1 run to the other team (7-5). Phil Coke was forced to enter and finish the inning, earning the final out. Eduardio Suarez doubled home a huge insurance run to make up for it the next inning.

Joba Chamberlain got us through the 8th. He didn’t allow a hit or walk, but a batter reached base after striking out on a passed ball, then made it all the way to third base on a throwing error. Luckily, Chamberlain stranded him. The second out was a deep fly ball that appeared to be gone at first, especially the way the Texas batter reacted with his gay bat flip. Joba jurked around concerned, then, after realizing it would be caught, could be seen telling the hitter, “Just a pop-up, baby.”

Ian Kinsler rescued Joe Nathan. Kinsler barehanded the first out to barely beat the runner in an inning where another run would score. He also got a put out at second base just in time, keeping disaster from ultimately striking. Detroit prevailed 8-6.