Streaking Tigers pounce early, pile on Astros

DETROIT — The Tigers welcomed the Astros to Comerica Park by putting up Minute Maid Park-type numbers, crushing Houston pitching for nine runs on 11 hits through the first two innings en route to a 14-6 win Friday night.

Detroit’s fourth consecutive win, and sixth in eight games, left the two teams a half-game apart as they try to chase down the Blue Jays and Red Sox for the American League Wild Card spots. Their gap on Friday’s scoreboard widened in a hurry after Jose Altuve’s first-inning homer built a 2-0 Houston lead.

Much of Detroit’s rally came off starter Collin McHugh (7-7), who retired just five of the 15 batters he faced. Nick Castellanos posted RBI singles in each of the first two innings before Tyler Collins’ three-run homer gave the Tigers a 9-2 lead after two innings.

That was enough for Matt Boyd (2-2), who labored at times to hold down Houston’s offense but gave up three runs on four hits over five innings. Jake Marisnick hit a third-inning solo homer, but Carlos Correa’s drive to center later that inning fell short at the fence.

Justin Upton added a three-run home run for Detroit in the sixth before James McCann provided a pinch-hit homer, his second drive out to left in as many games, in the …

continue reading in source mlb.mlb.com