Detroit Tigers vs Houston Astros Game 45 Preview, TV, Lineup

Detroit Tigers (26-18) vs Houston Astros (28-16) – 1:08 PM ET

Comerica Park – Detroit, MI

TV: FSD

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for affiliates)

Weather: 72 degrees, mostly cloudy

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Game Preview 

The Detroit Tigers will again try for the series victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday. Detroit is guaranteed a split, but after taking the first two games, it would be a bit disappointing if the Tigers do not come away with three out of four wins versus the Astros.

When We Last Met

Kyle Lobstein had a solid start against the Astros on Saturday, but the Tigers offense stalled once again as Houston won, 3-2. Astros starter Lance McCullers pitched six innings and allowed two runs while the Houston bullpen shutdown the Detroit bats. Anthony Gose had the only two RBI for Detroit.

Pitching Matchup

Anibal Sanchez‘s (3-5, 5.60) roller-coaster season for the Detroit Tigers went down the big hill on the ride again in his last start. He cruised through two innings but got lit up in the third inning on three straight homers by the Milwaukee Brewers and turned a 1-0 Tigers’ advantage into a 6-1 deficit. He would allow a run the next inning for a total of seven earned runs on seven hits in just 3.2 innings of work. This came after an encouraging outing in which Sanchez allowed just one run over eight innings in his previous start against Minnesota.

He has not faced the Houston Astros since 2013, allowing two runs on six hits in a win.  Sanchez has started eight games in his career against Houston, with the vast majority of those coming as a member of the Marlins against the then-NL Astros, posting a 4-1 record with 2.15 ERA and 1.212 WHIP.

Old friend Roberto Hernandez (2-3, 3.99), who used to pitch under the stolen name of Fausto Carmona until 2011 and was a member of the Cleveland Indians, heads to the hill for Houston in the series finale. He picked up a victory in his last game allowing just two runs on seven hits in six innings of work.

He last faced Detroit as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2013 and was bombed for 10 hits and four runs and took the loss. He has appeared in 21 games against the Tigers since his debut in the big leagues in 2006, starting 18 games and posting an 8-7 record with 4.16 ERA and 1.352 WHIP.

Tigers Lineup

1. Anthony Gose CF
2. Ian Kinsler 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera 1B
4. J.D. Martinez DH
5. Yoenis Cespedes
6. Nick Castellanos
7. Rajai Davis RF
8. Bryan Holaday C
9. Andrew Romine SS

Injuries

• Victor Martinez — 15-day DL
• Bruce Rondon — 15-day DL
• Alex Avila — 15-day DL
• Justin Verlander — 15-day DL
• Joe Nathan – Out for the Season

Next: Verlander, Rondon getting close to a return