Detroit Tigers (24-17) vs Houston Astros (27-14) – 1:08 PM ET
Comerica Park – Detroit, MI
TV: FSD
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for affiliates)
Weather: 62 degrees, partly cloudy
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Game Preview
From one extreme to another, the Detroit Tigers move from playing the worst team in the National League to playing the best team in the American League as they welcome in the West-leading Houston Astros.
It was not long ago that the Astros were the laughing-stock of baseball, but their young stars have gelled earlier that anyone thought. It also helps that the AL West is terrible so far this season, but Houston is making the most of the situation.
The Astros have won seven of their last eight games after taking two of three from the Oakland Athletics. The Tigers’ offense from the Brewers’ series pretty much consisted of a Nick Castellanos‘ three-run triple that saved Detroit from a humiliating home sweep.
This is an odd situation in which the Tigers played a night game in the final game of their series with the Brewers and then open the four-game series with a day game. It may be odd but the Tigers will take it. They are 15-4 in day games and 9-13 in night games.
When We Last Met
The Tigers won the season series with the Astros 4 games to 3. They won three of four games at Comerica Park from May 6-8, 2014 and then dropped two of three in Houston from June 27 to 29.
Pitching Matchup
David Price (3-1, 3.40) was a bit shaky in his last start Saturday in St. Louis although it was far from a conventional start for the left-hander. He threw two pitches in the first inning before rains delayed the game for a couple of hours. When he returned, he surrendered a home run, the first of three long balls for the Cardinals on the afternoon. Due to a high pitch count, he lasted just 6.2 innings and did not factor into the decision of the 4-3 extra innings win. Price pitched twice against the Astros last year, both as a member of the Tampa Rays. He went 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
Scott Feldman (3-4, 5.06) has been one of the few negatives to the solid start for Houston, incurring a high ERA. He has allowed 12 runs in his last three starts, including three runs in his last outing but surprisingly also struck out 10 Toronto Blue Jays. He started once against Detroit, allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings of work.
Tigers Lineup
- Anthony Gose-CF
- Ian Kinsler-2B
- Miguel Cabrera-1B
- J.D. Martinez-DH
- Yoenis Cespedes-LF
- Nick Castellanos-3B
- Rajai Davis-RF
- James McCann-C
- 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