• Recap
• Bleachers

Joyce powers Tigers over Rangers

Aug 20, 2008 - 4:48 AM ARLINGTON, Texas (Ticker) -- Teams have feasted on Texas Rangers pitching all season long. Few have benefited more than the Detroit Tigers.

Rookie Matt Joyce blasted two home runs and the Tigers used a nine-run seventh inning en route to an 11-3 win on Tuesday. Detroit is 5-0 against Texas.

"It was a big night for him (Joyce), big night for a lot of guys," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "I thought we did a good job at-bat. (Vicente) Padilla had good stuff, but made a couple of mistakes which we took advantage of. We had some timely hits and we broke it open."

In the five games, the Tigers have tallied 56 runs against a Rangers staff that has allowed 776 runs, the most by far in baseball.

This one started off as a pitcher's duel, however, with Armando Galarraga and Padilla throwing four shutout innings apiece.

Joyce's first homer in the top of the fifth gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead, but Galarraga (12-5) relinquished that advantage one inning later.

The pair of home runs for Joyce gives him 12.

"The success I've had with the home runs, well, I've never really been a home run hitter," he said. "Every year I've progressed along the way, and hopefully I keep progressing and keep getting better, but, you know, I'm having fun."

The righthander Galarraga walked Milton Bradley and Marlon Byrd singled to set the stage for Chris Davis, who blasted a two-out home run to left field, giving the Rangers a 3-1 lead after six.

Galarraga (12-5), who spent two seasons in the Texas organization before being traded to Detroit this offseason, won his fifth straight decision for the Tigers, surrendering three runs, six hits and three walks in six innings against his former team.

The 26-year old said it did not provide any added motivation.

"I've already proved it. You get traded and you get a new opportunity for another team," Galarraga said. "Coming in today, I didn't want to think anything like that, and I'll prove myself that I'm ready to pitch in the big leagues."

Padilla (12-7) took the two-run lead to the mound in the seventh, but was unable to record an out. After the first two batters reached, Joyce lifted his second home run, this time a three-run blast that gave the Tigers the lead, and Edgar Renteria followed with a solo home run to bounce Padilla.

The righthander allowed five runs and eight hits, including three home runs, in six-plus innings.

After Rangers reliever Warner Madrigal struck out Brandon Inge, six straight batters reached base, capped by a bases-clearing error by leftfielder Brandon Boggs. Joyce lifted a flyball to left-center that fell between Boggs, who was calling for the ball, and centerfielder Josh Hamilton.

"We're not playing good baseball. We're struggling," Rangers catcher Gerald Laird said. "We have to find a way to get back on our feet and move forward. It's not going to get any easier. We have to gut it out and get some momentum going into next season. We better turn it around or it's going to be a long month and a half."

The Rangers are 2-11 in their last 13 games.