Iglesias' Infield Single Gives Tigers Dramatic 3-2 Walkoff Win
DAVE HOGG
Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) — Jose Iglesias drove in the game-ending run on an infield single with two outs in the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.
With the Astros up 2-1, Houston closer Will Harris (1-2) retired the first two batters in the ninth but then walked Justin Upton. Tyler Collins singled and James McCann drove him in with another single.
Iglesias then hit a grounder between first and second base. First baseman Jason Castro ranged to his right to field it, but Iglesias beat Harris to the bag while Collins scored.
Detroit led 1-0 going into the ninth, but Houston rallied to take the lead in the top of the inning.
George Springer led off the ninth with a single — just the third allowed by starter Justin Verlander — and took second on Jose Altuve's one-out infield single.
Carlos Correa then looped a base hit into shallow center, scoring Springer and moving Altuve to third. Rasmus hit a soft grounder into the hole, and while shortstop Iglesias was able to get the force at second, Altuve easily scored from third.
Verlander (11-6) got his first complete game of the season. He struck out 11 while allowing two runs and five hits.
Houston starter Mike Fiers gave up one run, four hits and two walks in 6 1/3 innings.
The Tigers threatened in the second, putting runners on first and second with no one out, but Altuve fielded Upton's grounder, stepped on second and threw to third in time to retire Victor Martinez. That saved a run when Collins followed with a single, and Fiers got out of the inning.
In the meantime, Verlander allowed two hits in the first inning but didn't allow another baserunner until he walked Altuve to start the seventh.
By that point, the Tigers had taken a 1-0 lead on a fluke play in the sixth. With two out and Cameron Maybin on first, Miguel Cabrera lifted a high pop fly behind second base. Altuve appeared ready to make the catch but stumbled at the last second and dropped the ball for an error. Maybin, who was running hard with two outs, slid just past a tag at home after starting at first.
The Tigers almost added a run in the seventh, but Springer made a lunging catch of Iglesias' sinking liner to right.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: INF Marwin Gonzalez (hand) and OF Carlos Gomez (hamstring) were both out of the lineup with minor injuries, leaving C Evan Gattis as the only healthy player on Houston's bench.
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. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is hoping to have both of them back within a week.
REUNION TOUR
Former closer Todd Jones was the latest member of the 2006 Tigers to be honored, ten years after they ended Detroit's 19-year postseason drought by winning the pennant. Verlander, the sole remaining player from that team, has been catching each player's ceremonial first pitch, but he was busy warming up on Saturday. Ausmus, who caught Jones during Tiger Stadium's last season in 1999, filled in, handling a strike on the inside corner.
UP NEXT
The teams finish their weekend series Sunday afternoon, with Detroit's Mike Pelfrey (3-9, 4.98) facing Dallas Keuchel (6-10, 4.57). Keuchel has won his last three starts against the Tigers, including throwing eight scoreless innings in Houston on April 15.
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