After a Justin Upton walk and a Tyler Collins single, James McCann was able to hit a two-strike base hit, scoring Upton from second and advancing Collins to third to tie the game 2-2 with Jose Iglesias coming to the plate. George Springer singled to start the ninth, Altuve singled to short with one out and Carlos Correa looped a single to center to tie the score at 1-1.Rasmus hit a ball that shortstop Iglesias snared as it rolled into left and turned into a forceout at second while Altuve scored the go-ahead run. That made it a ten-run game, and the Tigers went on to an 11-0 win Sunday. He walked one while striking out six. “Obviously I was shouldering the blame for that”. It was McCann’s first career pinch-hit home run.
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Mike Pelfrey – He pitched five scoreless innings before the Tigers made a decision to give the bullpen some work before an off day. The diminutive star looks to continue his good fortune against Saturday starter Justin Verlander, versus whom he is 4-for-8.TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston), FSN DetroitPITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Mike Fiers (7-4, 4.69 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (10-6, 3.64)Fiers improved to 4-1 in his last seven starts on Sunday after allowing three runs in seven innings of a 13-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels.
DETROIT (AP) – The Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros matched two-run ninth-inning comebacks Saturday night. Keuchel, last season’s AL Cy Young Award victor, has been better lately. He allowed eight runs on 10 hits while only retiring five batters. Houston had them loaded again in the seventh, but Bruce Rondon struck out Correa.
After a pitchers’ duel, the Astros score two in the ninth inning to take a lead in Detroit – it doesn’t hold.
In other injury news, Astros center fielder Carlos Gomez remains day-to-day with a right hamstring strain. Gonzalez, who got hurt Friday night, is scheduled to see a hand specialist on Monday.
Tigers: OF J.D. Martinez (elbow) and RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) both got clean bills of health after playing on a rehab assignment Friday for Triple-A Toledo. The Astros were plenty hot themselves before cooling off with losses in four of the last five games and three of their last four series. The Tigers have also won 22 of 32 at home, are 15-3 in their last 18 games versus a starter with a WHIP greater than 1.30, and are 7-2 in their last nine home games when facing a left-handed starter. The home run came off McCann’s former Arkansas Razorbacks teammate Dallas Keuchel.
Astros: Return home for the first of four games with Toronto.
Astros starting pitcher Doug Fister isn’t with the team this weekend, as his wife is expected to give birth to the couple’s first child. Mike Aviles doubled leading off against Feldman in the sixth, went to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jose Iglesias to make it 8-0.McCann tagged a high-hanging 80-mph 1-1 changeup for his first career grand slam to complete a six-run Detroit first.
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Norris worked Thursday so he could be dropped back into the rotation Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. Anibal Sanchez starts for Detroit.
