DETROIT (Interstat) — Dillon Dingler’s three-run home run in the first inning powered the Detroit Tigers to a 5-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Comerica Park, evening the series after a narrow loss the night before.

The win lifted Detroit to 17-17 on the season, while Texas slipped to 16-17. Attendance was 33,373, and the game lasted 2 hours, 31 minutes.

Keider Montero earned his second win against two losses, allowing one run on seven hits over six innings. He struck out four and walked two. Kumar Rocker took the loss for Texas, falling to 1-3 after giving up five runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.

The Tigers struck quickly in the bottom of the first. Kevin McGonigle popped out to third baseman Josh Jung for the first out, but Gleyber Torres singled to third. Colt Keith reached on a fielder’s choice, with Torres advancing to second on a fielding error by Jung. Riley Greene then singled to right field, and Torres was thrown out at home on a strong relay from right fielder Ezequiel Duran to catcher Danny Jansen. That brought up Dingler, who launched his sixth home run of the season over the left-field wall, scoring Keith and Greene and giving Detroit a 3-0 lead. Kerry Carpenter ended the inning with a popout.

Detroit added two more runs in the second. Spencer Torkelson led off with a flyout, but Wenceel Perez singled to center. Jace Jung struck out swinging. McGonigle then singled to center, scoring Perez. Torres followed with a single to right, plating McGonigle and making it 5-0. Colt Keith struck out to end the inning.

Texas’s only run came in the fourth. After Josh Jung grounded out and Joc Pederson was called out on strikes, Jake Burger hit his sixth homer of the season, a solo shot to left field that cut the deficit to 5-1. Alejandro Osuna grounded out to end the inning.

The Rangers threatened in the fifth. Ezequiel Duran singled to left, and Josh Smith singled to left, moving Duran to second. Danny Jansen then grounded into a double play, third baseman Colt Keith to second baseman Hao-Yu Lee to first baseman Spencer Torkelson. Duran advanced to third on the play, but Smith was out at second. Evan Carter flied out to center to end the inning.

Texas mounted another rally in the eighth. Evan Carter struck out, but Corey Seager singled to right. Josh Jung doubled sharply to left, sending Seager to third. Joc Pederson grounded out softly to pitcher Drew Anderson, and Jake Burger was called out on strikes to end the inning.

Detroit’s bullpen held the Rangers scoreless over the final 2 1/3 innings. Drew Anderson pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. The Tigers’ defense also turned two double plays, including a critical one in the fifth that stalled Texas’s momentum.

Key performances for the Tigers included Dingler, who went 2-for-4 with the homer and three RBIs. Riley Greene was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Wenceel Perez was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run. Colt Keith went 1-for-3 with a walk. Kevin McGonigle had a single and an RBI. Jace Jung went 1-for-3 with a walk. Hao-Yu Lee went 0-for-2. Spencer Torkelson was 0-for-4. Kerry Carpenter was 0-for-4. Dillon Dingler and Perez each had multiple hits.

For the Rangers, Jake Burger homered and went 1-for-4. Corey Seager was 2-for-4 with a double. Josh Jung went 2-for-4 with a double. Ezequiel Duran was 1-for-3 with a walk. Josh Smith went 2-for-4. Evan Carter was 0-for-4. Joc Pederson was 0-for-4. Alejandro Osuna was 0-for-4. Danny Jansen was 0-for-2 with a walk.

The game’s most important sequence came in the bottom of the first, when Dingler’s three-run homer erased an early opportunity for Texas and gave Detroit a lead it never relinquished. The Rangers had been retired in order in the top of the first, and the Tigers capitalized immediately, turning a two-out error into a game-changing blast.

Texas’s pitching staff struggled to contain the Tigers’ lineup after that. Rocker allowed a leadoff single to Perez in the second, and McGonigle’s RBI single made it 4-0. Torres’s RBI single pushed the lead to five. The Rangers’ bullpen, however, settled down after Rocker’s departure. Relievers combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing only four hits and striking out five.

Detroit’s Montero was effective, mixing his pitches and keeping Texas off balance. He allowed only the solo homer to Burger and scattered six other hits. The Tigers’ defense was crisp, turning two double plays and making several strong throws from the outfield.

The series continues Sunday, with the Rangers and Tigers meeting again at Comerica Park before Texas travels to New York for a three-game set against the Yankees. Detroit will host Boston after the series finale.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Detroit Tigers 4, Texas Rangers 3. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Detroit with a 52.30 percent probability to win. Detroit had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 6 went over the over/under line of 8.5.