Santiago's 1st homer in 4 years spurs Tigers past Rangers

Detroit Tigers starter Justin Verlander pitches against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, April 22, 2008, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

DETROIT—Ramon Santiago homered for the first time since 2003 and drove in three runs to help the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 10-2 on Tuesday night.

Magglio Ordonez also homered, giving him 1,000 RBIs for his career, while Edgar Renteria had four hits.

Justin Verlander (1-3) struggled early, giving up five hits in the first two innings, but got out of it with only one run allowed. He blanked the Rangers in his last four innings, giving up one more hit, to lower his season ERA to 5.93.

Vicente Padilla (2-2) allowed seven runs and eight hits in three innings. Seven of the hits went for extra bases, including three home runs.

After Frank Catalanotto's second-inning homer made it 1-0, the Tigers came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring groundout by Brandon Inge and Santiago's RBI double.

The Tigers took control with five runs in the third. With one out, Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera hit back-to-back homers over the bullpens in left, and Jacque Jones followed with a triple to center.

Renteria's single made it 5-1, and Santiago increased the margin to six with Detroit's third homer of the inning and his first since Aug. 1, 2003.

Josh Hamilton's sacrifice fly made it 7-2 in the seventh, but the Tigers put the game away with three runs in the eighth.