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The Detroit Tigers used three pitchers before the end of the second inning, but injuries didn’t slow them down en route to a 7-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Monday in the opener of a four-game series in Arlington, Texas.

Tigers starter Matthew Boyd recorded only two outs before exiting with left elbow discomfort. Boyd uncorked a wild pitch while facing Adolis Garcia, ending Boyd’s night after only 15 pitches. Right-hander Will Vest relieved Boyd, but Vest exited with right knee discomfort with two outs in the second inning.

The Tigers used four more pitchers on the night. Mason Englert (3-2) replaced Vest and allowed one run over 2 1/3 innings to get the win. Tyler Alexander threw three scoreless innings, Jason Foley threw a scoreless eighth and Tyler Holton worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth.

The Rangers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on a leadoff home run by Marcus Semien, but the Tigers evened the game at 1-1 on a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Schoop in the second.

Detroit took a 4-1 lead in the third inning on former Ranger Andy Ibanez’s three-run homer off Texas starter Andrew Heaney. Ibanez sent an 0-1 changeup into the Tigers’ bullpen beyond the left-center field wall.

The Rangers pulled to within 4-2 on a solo shot by Garcia in the fourth, but the Tigers pushed the lead to 6-2 with a two-run homer by Jake Rogers in the sixth. An inning later, Detroit made it 7-2 with a sacrifice fly by Javier Baez.

Texas threatened when it loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but Holton ended the game by getting Corey Seager to fly out. The Rangers went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base.

Heaney (5-5) allowed six runs on six hits with three walks and five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. It was the most runs he has allowed since giving up six versus the Diamondbacks on May 3.

–Field Level Media