Loe Helps Rangers Hand Bonderman First Loss

Jun 26, 12:15 AM

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Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Kameron Loe kept streaking, winning his third straight decision, leading Texas past Detroit 8-3, and in turn handing Jeremy Bonderman his first defeat of the season.

Bonderman (8-1) had surrendered 13 earned runs over his last 17 frames, equating to a 7.64 earned run average and three victories in starts against the New York Mets, Philadelphia and Washington.

The flood of runs dried up against the right-hander Loe (4-6), who looked shaky in the first, but pounded a hard sinker during seven innings of two-run, seven-hit ball with one strikeout and two walks.

Bonderman's main difficulty resulted from his own fielding error, allowing a pair of unearned runs to score during Texas' four-run third. The right-hander yielded four runs -- two earned -- and seven hits with nine strikeouts and four walks over seven innings. He had a 17-start unbeaten string broken, losing for the first time since September 10, 2006.

"We got our (butt) beat tonight, plain and simple," Tigers manager Jim Leyland stated. "They played better than we did. Loe pitched outstanding."

Marlon Byrd finished 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and three runs batted in, Jerry Hairston Jr. clubbed a two-run home run and Ian Kinsler scored twice for Texas, which has won five of six.

Carlos Guillen and Curtis Granderson drove home runs for Detroit, which saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end. The Tigers hold a one-game lead on Cleveland in the American League Central.

The Tigers scored a run in the first frame, loading the bases with one out before Guillen drove home Granderson with a sacrifice fly to center.

Texas followed with a four-spot in the third to take a three-run advantage. After two quick outs, Kinsler singled to right and Michael Young followed with a base hit to left. Sammy Sosa patiently worked a walk to load the bases.

Byrd continued the two-out rally with a single to left, scoring Kinsler and Young for a 2-1 game. That should have been the extent of the damage, but Bonderman didn't help himself in the field.

Frank Catalanotto chopped a slow grounder back to Bonderman, who never set himself and chucked a flat-footed throw wildly toward first, letting Sosa score and moving each runner up another base.

"That was huge, because it lets us poke in two more runs," said Texas manager Ron Washington. "There's a big difference between a 2-1 game and a 4-1 game, especially against that team."

Adam Melhuse's single allowed Byrd to score, but Catalanotto ran through a stop sign and was gunned down by two steps at home plate on a perfect throw from Craig Monroe.

The Tigers drew within 4-2 on Granderson's RBI triple in the seventh, but Texas enlarged its edge to six runs in the top of the ninth. Young drove home Kenny Lofton with a base hit and Byrd's two-out single allowed Kinsler to cross the plate. Hairston followed with a pinch-hit two-run shot to left field.

Brandon Inge's run-scoring single to center in the bottom of the ninth capped the scoring.

Game Notes

Loe had lost six straight decisions from April 26 to June 7 before this three- decision win streak...Bonderman started the season with five straight no- decisions before beginning the win streak on April 30...Guillen knocked in his 55th run of the season...Young totaled three hits in the victory...Hairston's homer was his third of the campaign...Loe's earned run average against Detroit was lowered from 18.00 to 9.00 in five starts...The Rangers have won four of their last five road games...This was Texas' fourth straight game with at least 10 hits...Guillen and teammate Magglio Ordonez extended their hitting streak to 12 games...Detroit's Placido Polanco is hitless in his last 12 at- bats...This was the Detroit debut for reliever Macay McBride, who was acquired last Wednesday from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma...Attendance 36,330.

06/25 23:22:47 ET