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Boesch powers Tigers past Rangers

Aug 3, 2011 - 5:34 AM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Brennan Boesch belted a tie-breaking solo homer off Mike Adams with one out in the eighth inning, lifting Detroit to a 6-5 win over Texas in a battle of division leaders.

Jose Valverde converted his 29th consecutive save to begin the season, barely escaping a jam in the ninth inning, as the AL Central Division leaders beat the Rangers for the 15th time in the last 18 games at Comerica Park.

Boesch, who had three hits, fouled off four straight pitches before taking a ball. He then belted his 16th homer of the year, a shot to right field through the raindrops.

"I just wanted to come through any way I could in that situation," Boesch said. "I wasn't trying to hit a home run, but obviously it all worked out for us."

It was Adams' first game with the Rangers since being traded from the Padres over the weekend.

"It's not really the outcome I was hoping for," Adams said. "You come in here, you want to impress your new teammates. I was nervous out there, but that's not an excuse."

The AL West front-runners caught a pair of breaks in the top of the ninth, but couldn't convert. Josh Hamilton's grounder glanced off the glove of first baseman Miguel Cabrera to keep the game alive. Michael Young's grounder to shortstop went up the glove of Jhonny Peralta and the throw was on time to first base, but first base umpire John Tumpane ruled the call safe.

Valverde then retired Nelson Cruz on a fly ball to left field to cap the opener of this three-game series.

Alex Avila homered and knocked in three runs for the Tigers, while Victor Martinez drove in a run and scored twice.

Cruz and Mike Napoli each hit home runs in the eighth inning to tie the game for the Rangers, who lost for the fifth time in seven tries.

Rangers starter Colby Lewis allowed 10 hits through four-plus innings, while Detroit's Max Scherzer gave up six in six frames.

Wilson Betemit singled in Martinez in the second inning. Martinez's ground base hit to left plated Boesch in the third.

Cruz singled in a run in the fourth, but Avila led off the bottom of the frame with a homer to right-center field.

Yorvit Torrealba singled in David Murphy in the fifth, but the Tigers received a two-run base hit from Avila off reliever Yoshinori Tateyama in the bottom of the frame for a 5-2 advantage.

That was erased in the eighth with Joaquin Benoit (3-3) on the mound. Cruz homered to left with one out. Mitch Moreland walked ahead of Napoli's 16th homer of the season, a blast to right.

Game Notes

The Tigers designated left-handed pitcher David Purcey for assignment...Valverde's 29 straight saves converted is the second-longest such streak during a single season in Tigers history. Guillermo Hernandez converted 32 straight save opportunities for the Tigers April 6-September 23, 1984...The start of the game was delayed 11 minutes by rain.