Astros use late 4-run rally to beat Tigers 5-2

DETROIT (AP) — Framber Valdez pitched seven solid innings and the Houston Astros used a four-run eighth inning to beat the Detroit Tigers 5-2 on Friday night.

Kyle Tucker homered and scored twice for Houston, which has won two straight after a four-game skid.

Valdez (2-1) allowed two runs and six hits, pitching at least seven innings for the first time since his second start of the season on April 2, when he went 7 2/3.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the seventh,” he said. “I felt a little tired, but it felt good.”

Valdez has a 2.49 ERA in eight career games against the Tigers, including seven starts.

“There’s no secret to how to beat him,” said Tigers manager AJ Hinch, who managed Valdez in Houston. “You have to try to throw the ball in the air. We did it a few times earlier, but he made a ton of pitches.

Detroit (19-19) has lost six of seven and fell to .500 for the first time this season.

Trailing 2-1, Jose Altuve led off the eighth with a single against Andrew Chafin (2-1) and Tucker walked before Yordan Alvarez tied it with a single down the right field line. Jason Foley replaced Chafin, but Jeremy Peña hit an RBI single on his first pitch.

Peña is 7-for-11 (.636) in three games since first stepping into the cleanup zone.

“I feel like I have a lot of opportunities with the grassroots,” he said. “I just stick to my approach and try to be a good at-bat.”

Jon Singleton hit hard to second, putting runners on the corners, and Alex Bregman’s grounder to third went through Matt Vierling’s legs for an error. Yanier Diaz followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-2.

“The eighth showed what this team can do offensively,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We just didn’t try to do too much.”

Bryan Abreu pitched the eighth for Houston and Josh Hader earned his fifth save after closing out the ninth.

Tigers starter Casey Mize allowed one run on five hits and did not walk a batter after the first inning.

Houston had a chance in the first as Mize walked Altuve and Tucker to start the game, but he fumbled the inning after Peña took a third strike on a 3-2 pitch.

“I don’t think Casey was at his best, but he was still navigating the game,” Hinch said.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the third after Jake Rogers and Andy Ibáñez led off with a single and scored on Vierling’s double.

Tucker led off the sixth with a long homer just past Mize, his 12th of the season, but Houston didn’t do anything else until the eighth.

The Tigers debuted their blue City Connect jerseys – the first time they wore anything other than white at home since 1995 – and had an organist for the first time in more than 40 years.

Trainers’ room

The Astros are expected to activate RHP Cristian Javier from the injured list on Saturday. Javier, who missed 18 games with neck pain, is expected to start Saturday’s game.

Following

The teams continue the weekend series with Detroit ace LHP Tarik Skubal (4-0, 1.90) facing Javier (2-0, 1.54).