Tigers 7, Rangers 1: Detroit Pulls Away Late as Jack Leiter's No-Hit Bid Fades

The lead

May 3, 2026 - Detroit - The Detroit Tigers turned a pitchers' duel into a comfortable home win, beating the Texas Rangers 7-1 behind Spencer Torkelson's two-run homer, Matt Vierling's two-run double, and a bullpen bridge from Brant Hurter after Jack Leiter carried a no-hit bid into the fifth for Texas.

Per CBS Sports and MLB.com, Detroit scored two in the fifth, one in the sixth, and four in the seventh to pull away while the Rangers scratched their only run on Kyle Higashioka's RBI groundout.

How the game turned

Leiter tied a career high with 10 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings but was charged with five runs as the no-hitter dissolved, per CBS. Hao-Yu Lee and Kevin McGonigle chipped in RBI singles during Detroit's multi-run innings, while Vierling's seventh-inning double widened a tight game into a statement finish at Comerica Park.

Hurter (4-0) earned the win with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, two hits, and two strikeouts on the CBS line-silencing Texas after Leiter exited.

Pitching and matchup notes

Leiter's swing-and-miss and early efficiency gave Texas hope, yet Detroit adjusted the second and third times through the order once the no-hit bid ended. Hurter's long relief outing allowed manager A.J. Hinch to preserve high-leverage arms while still closing the book cleanly.

The Tigers improved to 18-17 at home and won all five home series to open that split, per CBS-a subtle indicator of how this club is defending Comerica even when the national spotlight is elsewhere.

Bats that changed the board

Torkelson's homer announced Detroit's arrival after Leiter's flirtation with history, while McGonigle and Lee kept innings alive with situational knocks. Vierling's extra-base hit supplied the knockout blow when Texas still had bullpen chess moves left.

For the Rangers, Marcus Semien and the heart of the order could not convert late traffic once Hurter took over, leaving Higashioka's groundout as the only dent on the scoreboard.

AthX Engine fantasy angle

AthX Engine placed Detroit at 16 team FP on May 3, third on the slate, reflecting a balanced night rather than a single superstar line. Brant Hurter added 10.33 pitching FP on the AthX Engine pitcher board-long relief that earns fantasy credit without a traditional starter's volume. Team scoring still rewards sequencing: multiple contributors and a zero-streak after the fifth matter as much as one moonshot. Daily fantasy totals are not dynamic pricing.

What comes next

Detroit heads back on the road with Tanner Bibee and Kansas City's Michael Wacha on deck for Cleveland after this set, while Texas resets its rotation following a night when Leiter's strikeouts did not pair with zeroes on the scoreboard.

*Sources: MLB.com schedule, MLB Gameday, MLB.com story, ESPN box score, CBS Sports GameTracker, and AthX Engine scoring. Information only; not financial advice.*