As Wily Peralta walked off the mound after the seventh inning, catcher Eric Haase jogged out to meet him with a hug and a grin. Even with three innings to go, it was hard not to celebrate the 32-year-old’s performance.
As Peralta continues to settle into his starting role with Detroit, his successes have risen accordingly. After claiming his first win since 2017 his last time out, Peralta tamed a talented young Rangers squad across seven innings on Monday and his teammates backed him at the plate during a commanding 7-3, series-opening win at Globe Life Field.
The victory marked Detroit’s first against Texas since 2018. While the teams didn’t meet in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Tigers finished 0-6 against the Rangers in ’19, making Monday another step forward during what has been a surprising couple of months for Detroit.
Peralta set the tone early, sitting down the side in order in the first two innings. He stayed aggressive in the zone, a tactic manager A.J. Hinch wagered would be a key to the righty’s success in Arlington and one that paid off in spades throughout his outing. Peralta needed just 48 pitches to navigate the first four frames, the third-lowest number among Detroit starters this season, and he allowed just a pair of singles during that stretch.