Tigers 5, Rangers 0
DETROIT -- Justin Verlander came within seven outs of his third career no-hitter, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 5-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday at Comerica Park.
Mitch Moreland's two-out double into the right-center field gap spoiled Verlander's bid to become the only active pitcher with three no-hitters.
Verlander (10-6) was removed after the seventh inning because of a tight, right quad muscle. He had three walks and three strikeouts while throwing 105 pitches.
Drew Smyly and Joaquin Benoit completed the two-hit shutout.
Verlander tossed no-hitters against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 12, 2007, and the Toronto Blue Jays on May 7, 2011. Toronto's Mark Buehrle, Philadelphia Phillies' Roy Halladay and Cincinnati Reds' Homer Bailey are the only other active pitchers with two no-hitters.
Verlander gave up a season-high 12 hits and five runs in his previous start against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. He issued walks to Leonys Martin in the first, Moreland in the fifth and Geovany Soto in the sixth but none reached scoring position.
Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta hit solo home runs for the Tigers, who entered the All-Star break atop the American League Central Division. Martin Perez (3-2) took the loss for the Rangers, who remained in second place behind the Oakland A's in the A.L. West.
Hunter's seventh homer of the season put the Tigers on top in the first. Martinez and Peralta hit back-to-back shots, giving them eight apiece, with two out in the fourth.
Peralta and Matt Tuiasosopo added RBI singles in the sixth to make it 5-0.
NOTES: Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced his pitching rotation for the club's road trip to Kansas City, saying that Anibal Sanchez would start the first game on Friday against the Royals, followed by Verlander and Doug Fister. Since he cannot pitch on one day's rest, Verlander was replaced on the All-Star roster by the Baltimore Orioles' Chris Tillman. ... Detroit RHP Max Scherzer, who had his first loss this season on Saturday, had some swelling and soreness in his left wrist on Sunday but it shouldn't affect his All-Star status. Scherzer, a right-hander, was struck by a Jurickson Profar line drive in the second inning of the 7-1 loss to Texas. He is a prime candidate to start for the American League on Tuesday. ... Derek Holland, Saturday's winning pitcher, will start the Rangers' first game after the All-Star break against Baltimore on Friday. ... Texas manager Ron Washington said he has tentatively decided to replace struggling rookie Justin Grimm with Ross Wolf in the rotation. ... The Tigers signed RHP Jeremy Bonderman to a minor-league contract and assigned him to Class AAA Toledo. Bonderman, who pitched with Detroit from 2003-10, was designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners on July 8 after going 1-3 with a 4.93 ERA.
