ANAHEIM -- Limiting the home run ball was an issue for José Ureña on Friday night.

With the Tigers struggling to get their offense going against Angels starter Alex Cobb, Ureña allowed two runs through four innings, but he couldn’t keep the Halos silent in the fifth. After getting Juan Lagares to fly out to lead off the frame, Ureña surrendered three home runs, two of which of the two-run variety, in the Tigers' 11-3 loss to the Halos at Angel Stadium.

Ureña gave up a solo homer to Luis Rengifo after he left a 92.2 mph sinker over the middle of the plate and struggled to regain his composure. Two at-bats later Shohei Ohtani, who fanned in the first, sent a sinker to right field for a two-run blast. Then Jared Walsh got the better of a changeup, leading manager A.J. Hinch to make the slow walk out of the dugout to remove his starter after seven runs on seven hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Ureña said he felt comfortable in his first four innings and thought he was executing his pitches well. Despite a mistake pitch to Rengifo, the 29-year-old felt confident of where he placed his pitches against Ohtani and Walsh.

“That was the only one I came back to the middle, but Ohtani, that was pretty a good pitch inside, and the one Walsh hit, that one was down and a changeup,” Ureña said.

The right-hander posted a 4.14 ERA in 54 1/3 innings before being moved to the injured list with a right forearm strain on May 29, but he hasn’t been as effective since.

In Ureña's return start against the White Sox on June 6, he threw five innings and gave up three runs. However, against Chicago again a week later, he couldn't make it out of the second inning, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in 1 2/3 innings. He has now given up 18 runs (17 earned), 18 hits and eight walks over 11 innings since making his return.

Hinch acknowledged Ureña threw well early, but the difference-maker was sustaining that quality into the fifth.

“I know he gave up some damage there, especially the last inning, but he just hasn't been executing at the same rate that he was prior to his injury,” Hinch said. “So, obviously, frustrating night for him and back to the drawing board for when he gets the ball up in five days.”

Following his three starts since coming off the IL, Ureña has allowed a .353 average to opposing hitters and has a WHIP of 2.36.

For Ureña, he believes limiting hitter-friendly counts is something that could lead to a turnaround.

“I think that when we come [from] behind the count, I think that is the whole problem there," Ureña said. "But we cannot try to attack the hitters and we go down in the counts, that is where they can do damage.”