ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas starting pitcher Jose Ureña pitched a perfect game through the sixth inning and Justin Henry Malloy, recently promoted to Detroit, hit a home run for his first major league hit, but the Rangers beat the Tigers 9-1 on Wednesday night.
Ureña (2-5) retired his first 15 batters before Malloy (3-1) led off with a 95 mph sinker that was smashed 413 feet to left-center field. The 32-year-old Malloy threw 97 pitches over 6 2/3 innings, allowing one hit and one walk. He left the game to thunderous applause.
Texas finished the game with just two hits combined, thanks to the efforts of David Robertson and Kirby Yates.
Malloy was promoted from Triple-A Toledo on Monday. He served as the starting designated hitter in all three games of the Tigers’ series at Texas and was 0-for-8 with three strikeouts before hitting the home run. He singled in the eighth inning.
Two players left the game with injuries in the first two innings. Detroit starter Kenta Maeda left the game after throwing two pitches because of right abdominal soreness. Texas shortstop Corey Seager left the game with a tight left hamstring after hitting an RBI single the other way in the second inning.
The Rangers (30-32) won the final game of a three-game series as Jonah Heim and Josh Smith each had three hits, one home run and two RBIs.
Five Tigers relief pitchers followed Maeda. The first was Joey Wentz (0-1), who gave up a season-high three runs while throwing 65 pitches over 2 2/3 innings. The fifth was fielder Zach McKinstry.
Detroit (31-31) finished its two-game road trip with a 4-3 record.
Ureña signed as a minor league free agent in January. He began the season as a reliever but was moved into the starting rotation in early May after Texas’ starting pitcher was placed on the multiple injured list. He is 2-3 as a starter and has allowed four runs in support in his past four starts.
Smith got help from two great defensive plays: Left fielder Travis Jankowski caught a sliced fly by Riley Green in the fourth inning, and Ezekiel Duran grabbed a hard liner to left by Colt Keith in the fifth inning. Duran replaced Seager in the third inning after Smith moved from third base to shortstop.
Ureña has started 149 games in the major leagues, but only completed one game, which came in 2018 with Miami.
Trainer Room
Tigers: RHP Alex Faedo (right hip inflammation) was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
Rangers: Right-hander Tyler Mahl (elbow surgery) faced hitters for the first time in a year, throwing 20 pitches, and is scheduled to throw 30 next Wednesday.
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Rangers right-hander Michael Lorenzen (3-2, 2.96 ERA) will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (4-5, 2.95 ERA) on Friday in Arlington for the first time against the team that Texas manager Bruce Bochy guided to three World Series championships. The Tigers did not announce their starting pitcher for Friday’s series opener at home against Milwaukee.
