DETROIT (AP) — Ezequiel Duran hit a three-run triple with two out in the ninth inning to give the Texas Rangers a 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.
Tigers closer Gregory Soto loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter before Duran hit a ball just inside first base and into the right-field corner. All three runners scored, giving Soto his second blown save of the season.
Dennis Santana (3-2) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth inning, and Joe Barlow pitched the ninth for his 12th save.
Soto’s collapse, which led to Detroit’s fifth straight loss, wasted seven scoreless innings by Detroit starter Beau Brieske.
Texas starter Martin Perez extended his unbeaten streak to 11 games. He allowed one run on eight hits in seven innings.
The Tigers had the first good scoring chance, as Miguel Cabrera singled in the third with two out and Eric Haase at second. Haase tried to score, but was easily thrown out by right-fielder Adolis Garcia.
Jonah Heim bunted against the shift for a single to start the fifth. Nathaniel Lowe followed with a hit, but Duran lined to shortstop Javy Baez, who doubled Heim off second.
Brieske walked two batters in the sixth, but picked Marcus Semien off first and got out of the inning thanks to Spencer Torkelson reaching deep into the Rangers’ dugout to grab Garcia’s foul pop.
Baez’s ground-rule double gave the Tigers runners on second and third in the bottom of the sixth, and Grossman ended Detroit’s 22-inning scoreless streak with a sacrifice fly to right.