Verlander Impressive As Tigers Win 4-2 In Extras
HOUSTON (AP) -- Victor Martinez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in a three-run 11th and the Detroit Tigers beat the Houston Astros 4-2 Saturday night.
Preston Tucker led off the bottom of the ninth with a homer to right-center against Bruce Rondon to tie it at one, spoiling an impressive start by Justin Verlander.
J.D. Martinez and Tyler Collins followed Victor Martinez with back-to-back run-scoring singles off Pat Neshek (3-3) to make it 4-1. Jose Iglesias singled and Miguel Cabrera walked to start the inning.
Al Alburquerque (2-0) pitched the 10th for the win. Neftali Feliz gave up a two-out RBI single to Jed Lowrie before getting Carlos Gomez to ground out for his first save with the Tigers and seventh this season.
Ian Kinsler gave Detroit the lead in the fifth following a replay. Kinsler hit a liner to left field that Tucker made what appeared to be a sliding, inning-ending grab on. But after Detroit asked for a review, the call was overturned and Anthony Gose, who had walked and stole second, was awarded home.
Houston manager A.J. Hinch came out to argue with home plate umpire and crew chief Bill Miller and was ejected. It was his second ejection of the season, with the first coming June 20 at Seattle for also arguing a replay challenge.
Verlander scattered three hits with seven strikeouts in seven innings. He retired 12 of 13 at one point, including eight straight. It was his second straight solid outing and fourth in his last five starts — allowing two or fewer runs in four.
Verlander passed Barry Zito for 93rd in strikeouts, with 1,884. St. Louis' John Lackey is next with 1,900 strikeouts.
Cabrera had two hits in his second game off the disabled list, and Iglesias had two hits as well.
Collin McHugh allowed one run on four hits with seven strikeouts over seven innings. The right-hander continued his recent string of solid outings, giving up four runs over three August starts.
Carlos Correa and Lowrie each had two hits for Houston.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Victor Martinez started at first base for the first time this season, while Cabrera was the designated hitter. Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said he had held back from putting Martinez at first because of offseason knee surgery.
"I had a couple coaches that thought Victor would be fine here and there at first. I kind of held back out an abundance of caution," Ausmus said. "I have come around and reluctantly let him play first because it's a way to get Miggy off his feet and allow him a chance to get his timing back."
CELEBRATE LIKE IT'S 2005
The Astros celebrated the 2005 National League championship team, the only Houston team to make it to the World Series. A luncheon was held featuring a majority of the team along with a pregame ceremony. Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Roy Oswalt, Brad Lidge, manager Phil Garner, Chad Qualls, a reliever on the current Astros club, and Ausmus, who was the catcher on that team, were all in attendance for the pregame ceremony.
UP NEXT
Tigers: LHP Matt Boyd (1-3) makes his third start Sunday since being acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline. Boyd is 1-1 in his previous two starts with Detroit.
Astros: RHP Mike Fiers makes his second start for Houston. Fiers, who was acquired July 30 from Milwaukee, got a no decision after yielding a run in 6 2-3 in his last start at Oakland.
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