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Entering the Astros-Tigers series, the Astros hadn't been tested by the class of the American League outside of the AL West. Houston took their best shot in the first three games and was close to taking two of the first three games. But the Astros evened the series on Sunday, 10-8.
Houston turned to Roberto Hernández in the series finale with the Tigers. The Astros gave the veteran a cushion to work with after the first inning. George Springer, who was leading off with Jose Altuve resting today, and Marwin Gonzalez lead off the game with a pair of singles. Evan Gattis ripped a triple to clear the bases. Gattis walked home on a balk from Anibal Sanchez.
But the cushion didn't last long. The first three Tigers reached base in the bottom of the first, and J.D. Martinez brought home a run with a sacrifice fly. Yoenis Cespedes followed with a single, scoring a second run. Nick Castellanos walked and Rajai Davis loaded the bases again with a walk, single.
Cather Bryan Holaday cleared the bases with double, putting the Tigers up 5-3 through one.
Hernández tipped the scales with close to forty pitches through first inning, but the righty was able to get through five inning - allowing only two more runs. The Astros were behind 7-3 when they entered the seventh inning.
The Oso Blanco struck again with a solo home run to start the seventh. Chris Carter, Jonathan Villar reached base with singles ahead of Jake Marisnick being lifted for Preston Tucker.
Tucker's legend grew exponentially as Tucker crushed a Sanchez change up over the right field wall. You could see Sanchez soul shrink three times on Sunday after Tucker's swing. It was the rookie's second pinch-hit home run this series.
The game now tied, the Astros looked to take the lead in the seventh. Jason Castro was at the plate with the base loaded and two out. Castro ripped a ball just left of the first-baseman, scoring two runs. The Astros added another run in the eight and Miguel Cabrera hit a bomb off Luke Gregerson.
The scoreboard read 10-8 at the end of the game, a rollercoaster game to the end. The Astros head to Baltimore to face the O's on Monday at 12:35 p.m. CT.