Thoughts on a 12-2 Rangers victory

Rangers 12, Tigers 2

• Nick Martinez had a Nick Martinez outing...didn't strike out many batters (just 2 Ks in 6 innings), but only walked one batter.  Martinez allowed 8 hits -- 6 singles and a pair of doubles -- and he got into jams in the first, second and sixth innings.  But he stayed poise, made good pitches, and got a Quality Start.  Martinez has now dropped his ERA to 2.14 in 33.2 major league innings.  Yes, the 2.14 ERA is due in part to luck and BABIP, but still, Martinez has been thrust into the major league rotation with very little time in the upper minors, and he's holding his own.
• Shawn Tolleson, Neal Cotts and Aaron Poreda all pitched an inning in relief today.  Tolleson had a couple of Ks and allowed a hit in his scoreless 7th.  Cotts, in the game to get some work, having not pitched since May 21 -- his only appearance since last Saturday -- wasn't particularly sharp, giving up a single, a double and a walk, but escaping unscathed.  Poreda, meanwhile, gave up a run on a pair of hits, making it the fifth straight outing in which hes allowed exactly one run, after nine straight scoreless outings to start the season.
• Martinez appeared to be running out of gas in the sixth, following behind batters and allowing three straight one-out singles to load the bases and bring Nick Castellanos to the plate in what was, at the time, an 8-1 game.  However, Castellanos hit a line drive to Odor which caught Alex Avila off first base, and while Avila was initially called safe when Odor threw to first base to try to double him off, Wash's challenge resulted in the replay determining he was out.
• There were three challenges today, all on plays where runners were called safe on the basepaths.  Along with the safe call on Avila being overturned, Detroit had a pair of successful challenges, one on an attempted steal of third by Shin-Soo Choo where Choo ended up being called out via replay, and one when Elvis Andrus tried to steal second, with the replay determining Elvis was out.
• For the offense, the story of the day was Rougned Odor.  Roogie, just 20 years old, went 4 for 5 with a single, a double and two triples.  Odor now has a .278/.297/.500 slash line on the season, and seems to have impressed those around the team during his time up...Emily Jones, for example, tweeted that he seems to have "it."  With Jurickson Profar on the shelf for at least a couple of more months -- possibly all season -- Odor is going to get an extended opportunity to show he should be the Rangers' long-term second baseman.
• The last player aged 20 or younger to have at least two triples in a game (prior to Roogie doing it today) was Alan Trammell, in 1978.
• Of the 16 different players (other than Roogie) who have gotten 2 triples in a game at age 20 or younger, 7 of them -- Jimmie Foxx, Ross Youngs, Roberto Clemente, Rogers Hornsby, Freddie Lindstrom, Arky Vaughan, Al Kaline -- are in the Hall of Fame.  And Trammell should be in the Hall of Fame.
• Here is a list of the players who have had a 4 hit game in the 21st century as a 20 year old (or younger):  Manny Machado, Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, Starlin Castro, Elvis Andrus, Giancarlo Stanton, Delmon Young, Miguel Cabrera...and now Rougned Odor.
• Other than Roogie, the other highlight of the game may have been Joe Buck asking Harold Reynolds if he was talking just to talk.  It should be interesting watch the two of them try to develop chemistry.
• Really, the whole bottom of the order, not just Roogie, keyed the offense today.  Donnie Murphy, hitting 8th and DHing in his first start since being activated from the d.l., was 2 for 3 with a homer and a pair of walks.  Leonys Martin, hitting 7th, had a pair of hits with a walk and a stolen base.  Leonys, Murphy and Roogie combined for 7 runs and 8 RBIs today.
• Every Ranger who had a plate appearance today got a hit.  Alex Rios had a three hit game, Adrian Beltre had a single and a homer, and Elvis Andrus had a pair of hits and a stolen base.
• Shin-Soo Choo left the game after the top of the sixth with what was described as left ankle soreness, with the Rangers saying it was just precautionary.  The Rangers were up 8-1 when they sent Michael Choice in for Choo, and I'm not sure if Choo would have left the game if the Rangers were up one.  In any case, Choice went one for two, with his hit being a double off of Tiger position player Danny Worth to drive in Roogie.
• The Rangers are assured of no worse than a split, on the road, against one of the best teams in the American League.  Keep the faith, everyone...