There may have been a sense that with AL MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez getting just his second off day of the season, the Houston Astros (41-44) may have trouble scoring runs today. That would not be the case.
The Houston offense got untracked early and surged late to lead the Astros over the Detroit Tigers (35-48) 8-6 this afternoon at Comerica Park.
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Facing former Astro Framber Valdez, Houston got on the board first in the top of the second on a 2-run homer by Cam Smith. It was Smith’s 9th HR of the season, matching his total from all of 2025.
They would tack on another in the top of the 3rd when Jeremy Pena (3×5, 2R, 2RBI) scored on a Jose Altuve double-play groundout. The Tigers conceded the run in exchange for the two outs. It was 3-0 Astros.
Things got ugly for Astros starter Kai-Wei Teng in the bottom of the 3rd. Teng, who was coming off a terrific 6 inning performance in his last outing allowing just one run, would load the bases on a walk, an error, and a hit-by-pitch. Kerry Carpenter then launched a poorly placed curveball 390 feet to right center for a grand slam, his 12th HR of the season. The bomb gave the Tigers a 4-3 lead.
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The Astros would answer right back in the top of the 4th on an RBI single by Jeremy Pena to tie the game at 4.
In the bottom of the 4th, a two-out RBI double by Spencer Torkleson would give the Tigers back the lead at 5-4 and chase Teng from the game in favor of Steven Okert.
Okert has essentially become the Astros “stopper”, the reliever called on to slam the door in stressed situations to quell rallies. Okert came into the game with 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, but got Carpenter on a grounder to first to end the threat.
In the bottom of the 5th, the Tigers would add another run on a solo HR by Hao-Yu Lee. Lee’s 3rd HR of the season made it a 6-4 Tigers lead and ended Steven Okert’s scoreless streak at 17.2 IP, the longest of the season by an Astros pitcher and the longest of the season by a LHP in MLB this year.
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The Astros would get one back in the top of the 7th. a 2-out walk by Isaac Paredes and a single by Jose Altuve gave Houston 1st & 2nd, and then Christian Walker would deliver an RBI single to score Paredes and cut the deficit to 6-5. Walker would finish with 4 hits on the day, this one accounting for his 53rd RBI of the season.
Houston would have more 2-out magic in the top of the 8th. After a leadoff single by Yainer Diaz, Jake Meyers and Taylor Trammell both struck out. Christian Vazquez then poked a single to right, advancing Diaz to 2nd. A single by Pena and an error by Tigers CF James Outman would allow Diaz to score, tying the game at 6.
Paredes then drove a 2-run double into right off losing pitcher Will Vest (3-5), and the Astros took an 8-6 lead.
Bryan King and Josh Hader (S, 7) would handle the 8th and 9th innings in order for the Astros, who improve to 41-44 with the win.
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AJ Blubaugh (4-2) picked up the win in relief with 2 scoreless innings.
The Astros are currently 2GB in the AL West and 0.5GB in the AL Wild Card race, pending tonight’s action.
The Astros will look to win the 5th straight series tomorrow afternoon behind Hunter Brown. The Astros have not won 5 straight series since June 20- July 6 last season, a stretch in which they went 12-3.
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