American League Game Summary - Houston at Detroit
Detroit, MI (SportsNetwork.com) - Preston Tucker hit a key three-run homer, while Evan Gattis added a solo shot in going 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored in Houston's 10-8 decision over Detroit in the finale of a four- game series.
Jason Castro drove in two, and Marwin Gonzalez ended up 3-for-5 along with two runs scored and an RBI for the Astros, who won the final two contests to earn a split.
Joe Thatcher (1-1) tossed a scoreless sixth for the win and Luke Gregerson allowed a home run to Miguel Cabrera but managed to nail things down in the ninth to post his 12th save.
Bryan Holaday hit a three-run double for the Tigers, who have dropped five of their last eight overall. Anthony Gose, J.D. Martinez, Yoenis Cespedes and Nick Castellanos all contributed an RBI each in the loss.
Alex Wilson (1-1) was charged with two runs on two hits while recording just two outs across the sixth and seventh frames.
A Gattis leadoff shot in the sixth brought the Astros back to 7-4. Chris Carter hit a one-out single, Jonathan Villar added a two-out hit and Tucker's pinch-hit three-run blast tied the game.
"He dominated Triple A so he didn't get here by accident," Gattis said of Tucker. "Just glad to see him getting an opportunity up here, and glad to see him making the most of it."
Though Wilson got the final out in the preceding frame, he did not survive the next one. Houston loaded the bases in the seventh on singles by Gonzalez and Gattis then a walk to Carter after Angel Nesbitt entered, and Castro put the Astros ahead for good when he hit a two-run single to right for a 9-7 advantage.
Gonzalez singled home Tucker in the top of the ninth and the visitors were up by three.
Cabrera's solo shot with one down in the home half made it a two-run spread and Martinez added a single. Gregerson managed to recover, striking out Cespedes and inducing a Castellanos groundout.
"It bothers me that we scored eight runs and lost. If we score eight runs, we shouldn't be losing that game, simple as that," groused Tigers manager Brad Ausmus. "We were a little sloppy and some of that is on me."
Tigers starter Anibel Sanchez faced trouble right away, allowing three runs in the first. George Springer singled and moved up on a wild pitch then went to third on a Gonzalez bunt base hit. Luis Valbuena's grounder advanced Gonzalez to second and a Gattis triple plated both. Gattis then scored on a balk.
Detroit struck back with five in its first turn against Houston's Roberto Hernandez, on a Martinez sac fly, RBI single from Cespedes and a bases- clearing double by Holaday with two out.
Gose doubled home Austin Romine to make it 6-3 in the fourth, then Castellanos' two-out double in the fifth scored Cespedes for a four-run Detroit margin.