In his Texas Rangers debut, Michael Lorenzen pitched five scoreless innings to set the tone in a 1-0 victory over the host Detroit Tigers on Monday night.
Lorenzen (1-0) allowed three hits and pitched around five walks against his former team. He represented the Tigers at the All-Star Game last season before he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies on Aug. 1.
Lorenzen signed a one-year free-agent deal late in spring training and had been on the 15-day injured list due to a neck strain. He made three rehab appearances at Triple-A Round Rock before he was activated.
Rangers right-hander Jose LeClerc pitched two innings and recorded a pair of strikeouts. David Robertson and Kirby Yates closed out the Rangers’ first shutout this season. Yates recorded his first save by getting the last three outs.
Detroit starter Reese Olson (0-2) gave up one run and five hits while striking out eight in 6 1/3 innings.
The Tigers had a pair of one-out baserunners in the first, as Mark Canha singled and Spencer Torkelson walked. Lorenzen struck out Kerry Carpenter before Matt Vierling lined out to end the inning.
Texas threatened to score in the second when Josh Smith and Jonah Heim singled. Olson escaped that jam by striking out Jared Walsh.
Lorenzen walked a batter in the third and two more in the fourth but the Rangers turned double plays in both innings to keep the game scoreless.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Heim led off with a double and Wash walked. Leody Taveras’ single loaded the bases with no outs.
Heim scored on Marcus Semien’s fielder’s choice grounder. Travis Jankowski flied out and when Walsh tried to score on the play, Tigers left fielder Riley Greene threw him out at the plate.
Detroit loaded the bases with one out in the fifth on singles by Gio Urshela and Javier Baez and a walk to Greene. Lorenzen once again escaped as Canha bounced into his second straight 6-4-3 double play.
Canha had a one-out double for the Tigers against Robertson in the eighth and Spencer Torkelson reached on catcher’s interference. A lineout and strikeout kept the score 1-0.
