Errors overshadow Allard's career-high 9 K's

ARLINGTON -- Kolby Allard struck out a career-high nine batters on Monday night, but that was the extent of the good fortune for the Rangers.

The left-hander only allowed one run on three hits through the first five innings of the series-opening matchup with the Tigers, but two errors in a discombobulated sixth inning led to Detroit putting up five runs as Texas fell, 7-3, at Globe Life Field. It was the first time the Rangers lost to the Tigers since July 7, 2018. The clubs didn't meet in 2020.

• Box score

Rangers manager Chris Woodward said the 23-year-old Allard was a bright spot in what was otherwise not a good night for Texas.

Allard said that he and catcher Jonah Heim went into the game with an attack mentality that allowed him to get ahead of hitters and keep them on their toes. Woodward added that Allard did a really good job of executing his pitches, especially his cutter.

“They were pretty patient early, honestly,” Allard said. “I think we were doing a pretty good job of getting ahead. We came out attacking. I didn't see my first-pitch strike numbers, but I think they'd be pretty good. I feel like we were ahead of most guys.

“I think that was probably the key to keep going forward. You’re a lot more successful when you’re ahead than when you’re behind, so I think just take that and continue to work with it moving forward.”

Allard only gave up five hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings and seemingly had control until the very end. The two errors in the sixth inning were both credited to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe on the same play. On a Nomar Mazara bases-loaded grounder, Lowe made a bobbling attempt to field the ball before gaining control and throwing to the base, where no one was covering. Two runs scored on the sequence.

Allard said that he thought Lowe was charging to throw home on the play, so he was going to back up the throw at the plate, thinking there wouldn’t be a play for him at first base. Woodward said he would have to watch the film to be positive, but it seemed like Lowe assumed somebody would be covering the bag even though that wasn’t the case.

Of the five runs credited to Allard, only two were earned, lowering his season ERA to 3.45.

“I wish we could have finished it a little bit stronger, but sometimes, things like that happen,” Allard said. “Those guys [on defense] are out there busting their [butts] for us, just like [the pitchers] are for them. It’s just part of the game, and Nate is working his [butt] off.”

Meanwhile, Detroit starter Wily Peralta blanked the Rangers over seven innings. Heading into the ninth, Texas totaled only four hits and six strikeouts, all of them courtesy of Peralta. Joey Gallo and Heim's back-to-back homers in the bottom of the inning prevented the Rangers from being shut out for the eighth time this season, but it was too little, too late.

Woodward said that outside of Allard and those two late homers, this was probably the worst game the Rangers had played this season. He said that from an offensive standpoint the team didn’t stick to the pre-established game plan going into facing Peralta.

“We knew this guy was gonna be good,” Woodward said. “His fastball has that run and late life. I felt like guys were way out in front of his changeup, not on the slider, and the fastball was beating us. It was just a lot of weak contact and some easy punch outs, where we didn't have as much fight as I'd like.”