DETROIT (AP) — Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run homer and the Detroit Tigers pulled away to a 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday night.
Torkelson had gone five games without a homer after tying a franchise record by homering in five consecutive games.
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Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, center celebrates his two-run home run with Riley Greene (31) as Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka, right, looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Brant Hurter tosses the ball to first base for an out on a Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo ground ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson pumps his fist after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Kevin McGonigle had two RBI singles and Matt Vierling added a two-run double for Detroit, which has won all five of its home series. Hao-Yu Lee chipped in a run-scoring single.
Tyler Holton served as an opener and retired two of the three batters he faced. Brant Hunter (4-0) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings for the win, allowing two hits and striking out two.
Rangers starter Jack Leiter tied his career high with 10 strikeouts. He lasted 6 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs.
Leiter struck out six of the first eight batters he faced. He didn't allow a baserunner until he issued a four-pitch walk to Riley Greene. Torkelson fell behind in the count 0-2, then clubbed a hanging slider over the left field wall to give Detroit a 2-0 lead.
McGonigle's line drive single in the sixth knocked in Jake Rogers, who led off the inning with a liner that bounced past center fielder Evan Carter for a triple.
Texas scored in the seventh on Kyle Higashioka's RBI groundout. The Tigers then scored four runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by Vierling's two-run bloop double.
The Rangers begin a three-game road series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday. RHP Jacob deGrom (2-1, 2.01) will start for Texas. Ace LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 2.70) will start the opener of a three-game home series against Boston on Monday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson, center celebrates his two-run home run with Riley Greene (31) as Texas Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka, right, looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Texas Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers pitcher Brant Hurter tosses the ball to first base for an out on a Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo ground ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson pumps his fist after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Detroit Tigers' Spencer Torkelson hits a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 12 assists, Tobias Harris added 30 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 116-94 in Game 7 on Sunday to win a playoff series for the first time in 18 years.
Cunningham averaged 32.4 points for Detroit, which last won a postseason series by beating Orlando in the second round in 2008. The Pistons advance to play the winner of Sunday night's Game 7 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors. Game 1 will be Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.
“We were pushed to the limit," Cunningham said. "And it made us really reflect on how we were playing, what got us to this position and what made us win as many games as we won in the regular season. And it got us back to playing the basketball that we knew we were capable of.”
The Pistons became the 15th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit and the second in the last two nights, after the Philadelphia 76ers came back to eliminate Boston.
“I mean, it's expected,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said of his team's resiliency. “And that's the amount of belief that we have in this group. This is a special group. And you can't count us out. No matter the circumstances, no matter the situation, I like our chances to fight our way back.”
They trailed by 24 points in Game 6 in Orlando before rallying to take the series at home. Orlando only scored 113 points in the final six quarters of the series — an average of 18.8 per period.
Cunningham and Harris became the first Pistons teammates to score 30 points in a playoff game since Bob Lanier (33) and Howard Porter (30) against the Golden State Warriors on April 17, 1977.
“We really bonded this season," Cunningham said. "This group is super tight. We think we can do anything. We've had our backs against the wall at times in the regular season, but we stuck together and we found our way out of it.”
Paolo Banchero scored 38 for the Magic.
Each team needed a second scoring option in Game 7. Cunningham had carried the Pistons while Banchero was Orlando's only weapon after Franz Wagner was injured in Game 4.
Harris filled that role for Detroit, but Orlando only had one other player reach double figures in the first three quarters, as Desmond Bane had 10.
“We just couldn’t find the basket,” coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We were playing well on defense, but we couldn’t put the ball in the hole.”
The Pistons also got a big game from All-Star center Jalen Duren. He was outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr. in the first six games, but put up his first double-double of the series with 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Harris scored 17 points in the second quarter as the Pistons finished the half on a 9-2 run to take a 60-49 lead.
The Pistons' surge continued into the second half, as they opened the third quarter with a 11-2 run to go up 71-51. Nine of the points came from Cunningham and Harris.
The Magic finished the third quarter with 15 points — the third time in their last five periods they couldn't reach 20 points.
Daniss Jenkins hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give Detroit a 83-64 lead going into the fourth, and the Magic never threatened down the stretch.
“They fought and battled the whole way," Mosley said. "We just didn’t get the job done.”
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) goes to the basket against Orlando Magic forward Moritz Wagner, left, during the first half in Game 7 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren dunks against the Orlando Magic during the first half in Game 7 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, left, drives against Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham, right, during the first half in Game 7 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives against Orlando Magic forward Jamal Cain (8) during the first half in Game 7 of a first-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
