Advertisement

Astros get split with Tigers

May 25, 2015 at 3:53AM
Houston Astros' Preston Tucker (20) watches his three-run home run with Detroit Tigers catcher Bryan Holaday, tying the game at 7-7, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 24, 2015, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Houston’s Preston Tucker watched his three-run homer — as did Detroit catcher Bryan Holaday — that tied Sunday’s score at 7-7. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

DETROIT – Anibal Sanchez was having enough trouble keeping the ball in the park. Then he went up against the major league leaders in home runs.

Evan Gattis and Preston Tucker both homered off Sanchez in the sixth inning, and the Houston Astros slugged their way to another victory Sunday, rallying past the Detroit Tigers 10-8.

"I thought all my pitches were working well today. Even the two homers were both down — really down — and they just put good swings on them," Sanchez said. "[Gattis] was a slider down, and the other guy hit a changeup that was down. You have to give them credit."

Sanchez has given up 11 home runs this year — he gave up 13 in 2013 and 2014 combined.

The AL West-leading Astros have hit a major league-leading 64 home runs. They won the last two games of this four-game series to salvage a split.

The Astros trailed 7-3 before scoring four runs in the sixth, including Tucker's three-run shot as a pinch hitter that tied the score. The following inning, Jason Castro lined a tiebreaking two-run single with the bases loaded and two out.

Joe Thatcher (1-1) got the win by pitching the sixth — the first of four innings of work by the Houston bullpen. Luke Gregerson allowed a homer to Miguel Cabrera in the ninth but held on for his 12th save in 13 chances.

Detroit reliever Alex Wilson (1-1) took the loss.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Detroit — which fell into third place in the AL Central, percentage points behind the Twins — led 5-3 after a wild first inning. Sanchez and Houston starter Roberto Hernandez settled in a bit after that, but both were out of the game by the bottom of the sixth.

"If we score eight runs, we have to win the ballgame," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.

about the writer

about the writer

NOAH TRISTER Associated Press

More from Minnesota Star Tribune

See More
In this photo taken Monday, March 6, 2017, in San Francisco, released confidential files by The University of California of a sexual misconduct case, like this one against UC Santa Cruz Latin Studies professor Hector Perla is shown. Perla was accused of raping a student during a wine-tasting outing in June 2015. Some of the files are so heavily redacted that on many pages no words are visible. Perla is one of 113 UC employees found to have violated the system's sexual misconduct policies in rece

We respect the desire of some tipsters to remain anonymous, and have put in place ways to contact reporters and editors to ensure the communication will be private and secure.

Advertisement
Advertisement