Texas pitcher José Ureña had a perfect game until the sixth inning when Justyn-Henry Malloy, a recent call-up for Detroit, hit a home run for his first major league hit. Despite this, the Rangers won 9-1 on Wednesday night.
Ureña (2-5) retired the first 15 batters before Malloy hit a 95-mph sinker 413 feet to left-center field on a 3-1 pitch. He allowed only one hit and one walk in 6 2/3 innings, which tied his longest outing of the season. Ureña struck out six batters in his 97 pitches.
“He was really playing well,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “Great effort by him and the offense.”
As Ureña left the game, he received a big applause and responded by tipping his cap. “That felt really good,” Ureña said. “We put on a good performance for the fans.”
David Robertson and Kirby Yates finished with a combined two-hitter as Texas (30-32) scored more runs after only getting one run in each of the first two games of the series.
Malloy was brought up from Triple-A Toledo on Monday. He started as designated hitter in all three games of the series, with Detroit winning the first two games. Before his home run, he was 0 for 8 with three strikeouts. He also got a single in the eighth inning.
“People talk about getting the monkey off your back. It feels like getting an angry gorilla off your back,” said Malloy, 24. “I was really hoping for that. Moments after that, it’s kind of like a blackout.”
Two players left with injuries in the first two innings. Detroit starter Kenta Maeda left after throwing only two pitches due to right-side abdominal discomfort. Texas shortstop Corey Seager left after hitting an opposite-field RBI single in the second inning with left hamstring tightness.
Bochy said Seager was taken out as a precaution. Seager’s hit extended his career-best on-base streak to 28 games. Jonah Heim and Josh Smith both had three hits with a home run and two RBIs.
Five Tigers relievers followed Maeda, starting with Joey Wentz (0-1), who pitched 2 2/3 innings and 65 pitches, which were season highs, while allowing three runs. The fifth reliever was position player Zach McKinstry.
