Tigers at Astros
Lance McCullers Jr. has been dominant in his last three outings and looks to shut down another offense when the Houston Astros host the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday for the second contest of their four-game series. McCullers hasn't allowed an earned run during the stretch and has given up just nine hits over 19 innings.
McCullers will have a strong effort to follow as four Astros combined on a one-hitter in Monday's 1-0 victory. Houston ended its three-game slide and became the first team in the majors to reach 30 wins while also establishing the best 45-game start (30-15) in franchise history. Detroit has dropped five of its last eight games, and the latest setback occurred in the opener of an 11-game road trip. Victor Martinez returned from a three-game absence due to the birth of his daughter and went hitless in two at-bats to fall to 1-for-9 over his last three contests.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, ROOT (Houston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-2, 6.25 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lance McCullers (4-1, 2.65)
Zimmermann defeated Baltimore in his last turn, when he gave up four runs and seven hits over six innings. The native of Wisconsin, who turns 31 on Tuesday, will be hoping to begin a turnaround to a season in which he has given up four or more runs in six of his first eight starts. Zimmermann is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in five career starts against the Astros and has kept Altuve (1-for-6) in check.
McCullers scattered three hits over six scoreless innings to defeat Miami in his last outing. The 23-year-old is the first Houston pitcher to work at least six frames without allowing an earned run in three consecutive starts since Roy Oswalt in 2008. McCullers won his lone career start against Detroit in 2015, when he gave up two runs and six hits in six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers RF J.D. Martinez was named American League Player of the Week after smashing four homers during the timeframe.
2. Houston SS Carlos Correa is 0-for-10 over his last three games.
3. Detroit's Anibal Sanchez accepted a demotion to Triple-A Toledo due to his struggles while fellow RHP Warwick Saupold was recalled from the same club.