ARLINGTON -- This is the kind of offensive game that makes a manager happy, and Jeff Banister was exactly that after the Rangers' 6-2 victory over the Tigers on Monday night.
"I felt like tonight offensively might have been our best approach all year long, with everything we did," Banister said.
The key word in that statement is approach. The Rangers didn't come close to matching their season high of 14 runs in one game, or 17 hits or five home runs. The only season high they tied was sacrifice bunts -- they had two for only the second time in a game this season.
But those sacrifice bunts were part of the approach on a night when the Rangers had just two extra-base hits. The Rangers did well in manufacturing runs, and that's why Banister was so enthusiastic afterward.
"All around the best approach we've had collectively throughout the game," Banister said. "Some things we talked about going forward -- the ability to put runs on the board. That's what the thought process is. The idea is, it's about scoring runs."
The Rangers put together their six runs through three walks, two sacrifice bunts, two steals, a sacrifice fly and a bunt hit. Joey Gallo did hit his 33rd home run, but the Rangers were also 3-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
"We did a real good job as a team," shortstop Elvis Andrus said. "We put together a lot of good innings offensively. This is the best part of the season to do it. We've got to keep plugging."
The Rangers trailed, 2-0, going into the bottom of the first, but Delino DeShields and Andrus led off by working walks against Tigers starter Michael Fulmer. They ended up scoring on Nomar Mazara's single and Adrian Beltre's sacrifice fly.

Rougned Odor started another rally in the second, leading off with a bunt single. Robinson Chirinos moved Odor to second with a single, then Odor stole third. Fulmer struck out Drew Robinson, bringing up DeShields with runners at the corners.

DeShields, on his own, dropped a bunt. It wasn't a squeeze, because Odor didn't break until the ball was bunted, but that's the play, and the Rangers use it when they can -- DeShields drops the bunt, and the runner decides if he can score.
The bunt did not go far. Tigers catcher James McCann thought he had time to field the bunt and look Odor back to third, but Odor sped past him to score the go-ahead run.
"With DeShields, that's his game," Banister said. "He always has the option in that situation to execute that play. It's more [natural] when he is aware of it and does it on his own. I know all our guys are ultra-aware that's an option for us. Rougned made a great read on it."
Gallo's home run made it 4-2, and Odor added two runs. He doubled in the fourth and scored on a Robinson single, then singled, stole second and scored on Chirinos' single in the sixth.