Justin Verlander pitched seven dominant innings and the visiting Houston Astros rolled to a 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
Verlander, who pitched for Detroit from 2005-17, retired the first 14 batters he faced. He allowed two hits and recorded eight strikeouts for his 101st victory at the Tigers’ Comerica Park.
Kyle Tucker hit his major-league leading 13th homer, a two-run shot. Jake Meyers had three hits and drove in three runs and Mauricio Dubon delivered four hits while scoring a run and driving in another.
Detroit starter Jack Flaherty was charged with three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He recorded seven strikeouts.
Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer this season, a two-run blast, in the ninth.
Verlander got into a groove from the very first batter, as he struck out Riley Greene.
The Astros had a baserunner in each of the first four innings. None got past first base as the Tigers turned three double plays.
The Tigers finally had a baserunner on Colt Keith’s infield single. He was then caught stealing.
The deadlock was broken in the sixth after Dubon reached on a one-out single. Tucker then lofted a Flaherty slider on a 3-1 count over the left field wall.
Detroit left the bases loaded in the sixth when Matt Vierling flied out.
Bregman led off the seventh with a single. Flaherty recorded two more outs before departing. Joey Wentz replaced Flaherty and gave up a single to Joey Loperfido. Meyers then knocked in Bregman with a single. Dubon followed with another RBI single to make it 4-0.
Houston added to its lead against Alex Lange in the eighth. Yainer Diaz drove in a run with a single and Loperfido supplied an RBI double. The Astros scored two more runs on a Meyers single and an error.
Meyers added an RBI single in the ninth.
Akil Baddoo tripled and scored on a balk in the bottom of the inning to end Houston’s shutout bid. Torkelson’s long ball came with two out.
–Field Level Media
