Vierling's Late Heroics Propel Tigers to Victory Over Rangers

With two outs in the eighth inning, Matt Vierling delivered a crucial single that broke the tie, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday night. This win marked the end of a frustrating six-game losing streak for the Tigers.

Vierling's pivotal hit came off Chris Martin (1-6), driving in Gleyber Torres after the Rangers had managed to mount a challenge against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in the seventh inning.

Skubal, who recently earned the AL Cy Young Award and pitched in last Tuesday's All-Star Game, was dominant through six innings, holding Texas to just two hits. However, he exited the game with runners on the corners and two outs in the seventh. A wild pitch from Tyler Holton (5-3) allowed Adolis García to score, narrowing the Tigers' lead.

Will Vest took over in the eighth inning, retiring four consecutive batters to secure his 16th save of the season.

Skubal finished with an impressive line: 11 strikeouts and no walks over 105 pitches, marking his seventh game this season with double-digit strikeouts.

Detroit's first run came in the second inning when Zach McKinstry singled home Wenceel Pérez. The Tigers managed nine hits in total, a notable improvement after only recording seven in their previous two losses against Texas.

On the mound for Texas, Jacob Latz allowed six hits and two walks across five innings in his third start of the year, stepping in for Nathan Eovaldi, who was sidelined due to back tightness.

Corey Seager, the only left-handed batter in the Rangers' lineup against Skubal, recorded the first two hits off him and extended his on-base streak to 21 games, the longest active streak in the American League.

Vierling's full-count fastball single in the eighth gave Detroit a 2-1 lead, showcasing his clutch performance when it mattered most.

Looking ahead, Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.65 ERA) aims for his first win since June 8 as he faces NL All-Star Game starter Paul Skenes (4-8, 2.01) on Monday in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Rangers rookie right-hander Jack Leiter (5-6, 4.37) is set to take on Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez (3-5, 4.20) at home on Monday.