ARLINGTON, Texas — Dane Dunning threw shutout ball for a career-high 8 2/3 innings, Adolis Garcia homered for the third consecutive game and the Texas Rangers beat the Detroit Tigers 10-2 on Wednesday night.
Josh Jung and Ezequiel Duran also each had solo home runs and RBI singles.
Dunning (7-1) retired 17 straight batters between Zach McKinstry’s single to open the game and McKinstry’s two-out double in the sixth. With Dunning an out from a shutout, Andy Ibanez legged out an infield single, a call that stood following a Texas challenge, and Kerry Carpenter homered.
“I felt really good, which is kind of funny because in the bullpen before the game I think I threw like two strikes,” Dunning said. “I walked up to (catcher) Jonah (Heim), and I said, ‘It’s going to be a good day.’”
Dunning allowed four hits, walked none and struck out a season-high 10. His previous long outing was 7 2/3 innings in April 2022.
Dunning and Tigers manager A.J. Hinch agreed that the early six-run Texas lead allowed Dunning to relax.
PHOTOS: Dane Dunning comes within an out of his first shutout, the Rangers beat the Tigers 10-2
“Front-door cutters and sinkers and occasional sliders,” Hinch said. “He was able to mix and dominate.”
Dunning has won five of six decisions since joining the starting rotation May 5 after Jacob deGrom was sidelined because of an elbow injury that led to season-ending Tommy John surgery.
“I can’t say enough about the kid,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had to put him in the rotation when Jacob went down, and he’s done just a tremendous job.”
Garcia hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and nearly hit a second in the seventh with an RBI double off the right-field wall. He has 66 RBIs.
Jung and Duran homered in the third inning after contributing to a four-run first during which Texas sent 10 men to the plate. The early spree followed the Rangers also batting around in their final at-bat Tuesday night, scoring five runs in the eighth inning to win 8-3.
It was Jung’s 15th homer this season. He went into play leading A.L. rookies in homers, RBIs, runs and was tied for first place in hits.
Joey Wentz (1-9) pitched through the Texas order three times in 4 2/3 innings with the Tigers’ bullpen taxed. Wentz gave up six runs, four earned, on nine hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
With Detroit down 10 in the seventh, Hinch sent infielder Jonathan Schoop to the mound for his first big-league pitching appearance. With designated hitter Miguel Cabrera ejected by first-base umpire Ben May following a fifth-inning strikeout, Schoop hit in Cabrera’s position.
Cabrera didn’t know he’d been ejected until told by Hinch in the dugout.
“I think the second gesture got him,” Hinch said. “He was frustrated. And it’s a long walk back. Gave him an opportunity to voice that from a distance.”
The Rangers, leading the majors averaging 5.92 runs going into play, scored in double digits for their major league-high 18th time this season.
HOLD THAT SHOT
Texas’ Leody Taveras pulled a first-inning foul liner into the camera well just beyond the Tigers’ dugout striking the camera hood of freelancer photographer Sam Hodde on the fly, cracking the hood and creating a loud popping sound.
“I saw the ball coming and moved my camera out of the way,” Hodde said by text. “Didn’t move it enough.” The camera was still usable.
Cabrera was the first Tiger to walk over and check on Hodde.
COMING, GOING
The Tigers recalled RHP Garrett Hill from Triple-A Toledo and optioned RHP Anthony Misiewicz there. Hill gave up four runs in two innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd had Tommy John surgery on Wednesday morning. … RHP Casey Mize (elbow, back), who last appeared in a game in April 2022, threw a bullpen that manager Hinch called “really important.”
UP NEXT
The Tigers are scheduled to start rookie RHP Reese Olson (1-2, 4.74 ERA) on Thursday in the series finale. The Rangers didn’t announce a starter.
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