Rookie Has Strike Stuff for Tigers
DETROIT — Rookie Brian Moehler doesn’t consider himself a strikeout pitcher. Juan Gonzalez, for one, may differ.
Moehler pitched eight strong innings and Melvin Nieves and Tony Clark homered Friday night to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Moehler (3-3) won for the first time since he pitched a two-hit shutout on April 26 against the Angels. Moehler gave up seven hits with one walk and a career-high nine strikeouts as the Tigers won for the seventh time in 11 games.
“Usually you’ll see me getting 14 or 15 ground-ball outs,†Moehler said. “But some nights you have the strikeouts, some nights the ground balls, and eventually it evens out.â€
Moehler struck out Gonzalez four times, including a two-on, two-out fan that ended the Rangers’ final threat with the Tigers leading, 4-1, in the eighth.
Detroit Manager Buddy Bell considered pulling Moehler as Gonzalez came to the plate but decided to stay with him.
“It was a hard decision,†Bell said. “He had pitched a good game and I didn’t want to see him lose it, but he seemed to be getting stronger later in the game and Juan wasn’t picking him up very well.â€
Clark’s three hits in four at-bats led the Tigers offensively.
“I’ve been trying to stay on the ball a little bit longer instead of trying to pull the ball like I always used to,†Clark said.
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NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELES
WHO: Detroit
WHERE: Detroit
WHEN: Monday: 10 a.m., Tuesday: 4 p.m.
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