Texas Rangers Drop Game 5 to Detroit 7-5

The American League Championship Series is heading back to Texas as the Rangers were unable to clinch a berth into the World Series for the second time in as many seasons, falling to Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers 7-5.

Texas struck early scoring a run in the bottom of the first off a sacrifice fly from Josh Hamilton that allowed Ian Kinsler to score.

Detroit came roaring back in the third and the fourth with solo shots from Alex Avila and Delmon Young off Rangers starter C.J. Wilson.

The Rangers knotted it up at two apiece in the fifth with Hamilton singling to center for his second RBI of the game.

The sixth is when it came undone for the Rangers as Ryan Raburn led off the bottom half of inning with a single, Miguel Cabrera hit a grounder down the third base line that took a favorable Detroit bounce off the bag giving him a double and allowing Raburn to score, putting Detroit ahead 3-2.

Victor Martinez followed with a triple down the right-field line, scoring another run, and Young topped it off with a two-run homer, for his second home run of the game.

It was the first time four consecutive batters on one team hit for a "natural" cycle in a postseason game, according to STATS LLC.

Raburn homered in the seventh to make it 7-2.

The Rangers seemed on the verge of breaking open the game in the sixth, loading the bases with one out. However, Verlander was able to get Ian Kinsler to hit a grounder right to third baseman Brandon Inge, who easily stepped on the bag and threw to first for a double play.

Verlander was, well Verlander, allowing four runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings, throwing a career-high 133 pitches. He struck out eight while walking just three.

Texas kept it interesting as Nelson Cruz continued his impressive Championship Series by hitting a two-run shot over the left field wall in the 8th, cutting the score to 7-4.

Cruz became just the fifth player to hit fiver homers in a postseason series, joining Reggie Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., Juan Gonzalez and Chase Utley.

The Rangers final run came in the ninth when Michael Young singled to right allowing Hamilton to score. Adrian Beltre walked right after that putting runners on first and second, with one down, but Mike Napoli grounded into a game ending double play.

Wilson's stat line reads eight hits, six earned runs, two walks and three strikeouts over six innings of work.

Game 6 from Rangers Ballpark will be played Saturday night with a 7:05 first pitch. Derek Holland is expected to get the start for Texas opposite the Tigers Max Scherzer.