Game 39 Preview: Astros at Tigers

Houston vs. Detroit, 6:08 PM CT

TV: CSN Houston
Radio: KBME 790 AM
Tigers SBNation Blog: Bless You Boys

Pitching Match

RHP Bud Norris (4-3/ 3.40 ERA / 1.49 WHIP) vs. RHP Anibal Sanchez (3-3 / 1.97 ERA / 1.09 WHIP)

Preview

The Astros return to the road to face the American League champions, after being swept by the Rangers. Since we last left the Tigers, they have entered a small tailspin. Losing four of five away in Washington and at home to the Indians. Since both teams last played, the Astros actually have more wins over that stretch. The Astros get back to baseball, with the news of the front office shakeup still lingering over Houston.

Bud Norris is on the bumb for the Houston today, in Detroit. Norris was masterful in his last start against the Angels. He flirted with a complete game, pitching eight innings - giving up only one run. The most impressive part of the performance, it only took 84 pitches to get through the eight innings. In Norris' previous start against Detroit, he put Houston in a position to win - giving up two runs over sevens innings. The only blemishes from that game were a leadoff walk to Prince Fielder in the second leading to a run and a double by Miguel Cabrera in the forth.

In 2012, Anibal Sanchez was part of the Marlins' fire sale, being traded to the Tigers for a draft pick. Over his last 54 innings that season, he recorded a 2.15 ERA, and a 1.77 ERA in the playoffs. It's easy to see why the Tigers resigned Sanchez to a five-year, $80 million contract this off-season. Sanchez has rolled that success in 2013, with an April ERA of 1.34 in five starts. The story has changed in May; Sanchez has given up five earned runs over his last two starts. Carlos Pena is batting .300 lifetime with a homerun of Sanchez.