Tigers 5, Astros 3
HOUSTON – Nick Castellanos and Jarrod Saltalamacchia recorded multi-hit games and combined for a decisive sixth-inning rally in the Detroit Tigers’ 5-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.
Castellanos finished 3-for-5 while Saltalamacchia went 2-for-5 to back right-hander Justin Verlander (1-1), who survived a rocky start to work six quality innings and outlast Astros right-hander Collin McHugh (1-2).
Verlander allowed three of his seven hits in the first inning and all three of his runs, capping his outing with eight strikeouts and two walks. The Astros (4-8) stranded four baserunners against Verlander, who induced an inning-ending double play to complete his evening.
The Tigers (7-3) added an insurance run off right-hander Josh Fields in the ninth inning, providing closer Francisco Rodriguez a bit more wiggle room to earn his third save. Victor Martinez doubled to straightaway center field to plate Miguel Cabrera, who stroked a leadoff single.
Justin Wilson and Mark Lowe worked scoreless innings in advance of Rodriguez, who recorded his 389th save, one behind Dennis Eckersley for sixth all-time. The rubber match of the three-game series is Sunday.After failing to convert their early traffic on Friday night against Tigers starter Mike Pelfrey, the Astros were quick to capitalize when Verlander wobbled early, cashing in on three hard-hit balls in their first at-bat.
Springer followed a Jose Altuve single with a two-run home run off the left-field foul pole, taking advantage of a distracted Verlander, who appeared very concerned with the prospect of Altuve swiping second.
Verlander appeared to rebound with a pair of strikeouts, but his 0-1 pitch to Tyler White yielded another homer, this one a solo shot with two outs that bumped the Houston lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the first.
What saved Verlander was his success against left-handed hitters. Colby Rasmus, Preston Tucker, Luis Valbuena and Jason Castro finished 1-for-10 against Verlander, with Valbuena and Castro striking out with a runner in scoring position in the fourth inning and Rasmus swinging through strike three with Springer on first to close the fifth inning.
McHugh, meanwhile, was undone by Castellanos and Saltalamacchia, who combined to hit 5-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs off him.
Saltalamacchia homered off the right-field foul pole in the sixth inning, following a leadoff double from Castellanos and giving Detroit a 4-3 lead. One batter later McHugh was gone, leaving with seven strikeouts and no walks but 10 hits allowed and one out into the sixth inning.
NOTES: The Tigers had their streak of scoring at least four runs in every game snapped on Friday night. Their eight-game streak was tied for the longest to start a season since 1913 with the 2004 Detroit squad. ... Astros RHP Lance McCullers could resume baseball activities on Sunday or Monday after having his scheduled start for Double-A Corpus Christi skipped. McCullers, placed on the 15-day disabled list on March 25 (right shoulder soreness), is battling recovery issues between rehab appearances. ... Tigers LHP Blaine Hardy took a significant step forward in his injury rehab on Friday night by working consecutive games. After pitching a scoreless inning with Triple-A Toledo on Thursday, Hardy recorded two outs for the Mud Hens Friday night, with a walk and a strikeout. Hardy has been on the 15-day disabled list since March 25 with a left shoulder impingement.