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Rogers helps Tigers avoid sweep by Rangers

Jun 28, 2007 - 9:20 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers received another solid outing from Kenny Rogers to beat the Texas Rangers, 5-2, avoiding a three-game sweep on Thursday afternoon.

In his second start since missing the beginning of the season with a blood clot in his shoulder, Rogers (2-0) pitched six innings, allowing just one run on four hits, striking out three and walking one.

The veteran lefthander made his 2007 debut in Friday's 5-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves, allowing six hits in six scoreless innings.

The lone run Rogers allowed came in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Michael Young, scoring Kenny Lofton who doubled to lead off the inning. It was the first run allowed by Rogers over his last 35 innings, including his scoreless stretch of 23 frames from last year's postseason.

"I didn't have as good as life in the ball as I would have liked to," Rogers said. "But I located pretty well, sinker was OK. When I tried to go in with four-seamers, I located pretty well. For location-wise, it was good. For me, that's paramount."

The Rangers threatened in the fourth when Ian Kinsler hit a ground-rule double to lead off the inning, and Young moved him to third with a ground-out to shortstop. Rogers stranded Kinsler at third by getting Sammy Sosa to ground back to the mound, and Marlon Byrd to pop out to first base.

"He is the same old pitcher," Kinsler said of Rogers. "He's been doing the same things in his 53 years in major league baseball."

The Tigers broke through against Texas righthander Kevin Millwood in the fourth inning. Gary Sheffield walked and moved to second on a single to right field by Magglio Ordonez. Sheffield then stole third and scored on a wild pitch by Millwood.

Carlos Guillen made it 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-run single to right field. That extended Guillen's consecutive streak of games with an RBI to 11 games. It was the fifth game during this streak where he has driven in two or more runs.

"I was trying to make good contact," Guillen said. "He's a good pitcher, it's been tough for me to hit off him. He's got pretty good stuff. To me, it's one of the best in the league. I just tried to make good contact, use the whole field."

Millwood (4-7) failed to win his third straight start, allowing three runs and five hits in six innings. He walked six and struck out six.

"Aside from the walks, this was the best that I have thrown since coming off the disabled list," Millwood said. "I'm very encouraged by this start, I feel that I'm getting better every time out."

Scott Feldman relieved Millwood to start the seventh and served up a two-run homer to Sheffield, his 18th of the season.

The Rangers pulled within 5-2 in the eighth off righthander Chad Durbin. Jerry Hairston Jr. doubled, moved to third on an infield single by Young, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sosa.

"As long as we keep winning series, I'll be happy," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "We fought hard, but it's really hard to win against a team as great as the Tigers."

Todd Jones pitched a perfect ninth for the Tigers to record his 18th save of the season.

"It was the perfect situation for him because we had a little leeway," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Jones. "With the three-run lead, it's good to get him back out there in that situation. Obviously he responded very well."