Astros 6, Tigers 5: Astros walk off on Jose Altuve single

Mike Fiers struggled early, needing 37 pitches to get the first three outs. To open the game Fiers’s defense let him down, as an early Chris Carter error allowed Jose Iglesias to get on. Miguel Cabrera followed with a double to get the scoring started and then came around to score giving the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.

The Astros didn’t wait long to respond, as they would put up a four spot in the bottom of the second inning. Rasmus opened up the scoring with a solo home run to right field, his 16^th homer on the year. Marwin Gonzalez would give the Astros the lead with a two RBI triple, plating Altuve and Chris Carter. To round out the scoring for the inning, Carlos Correa singled up the middle to give the Astros a 4-2 lead after two innings.

Fiers got into some trouble in the third inning, as he seemed to completely forget where the strike zone was.  Fiers opened the inning with seven straight balls, eventually walking Iglesias and Cabrera before going down 3-0 to Victor Martinez. With no outs and Fiers looking shaky at best a big inning seemed imminent, but somehow Fiers wiggled out of trouble and escaped unscathed.

Rasmus would add to the lead in the bottom of the third with his second solo home run of the game and 17^th of the year. Conger followed with a walk, but then was caught trying to steal second (his first attempted steal of the year).

Fiers retired the next six batters he faced quickly getting through the fourth and fifth inning. Fiers was finally chased in the sixth with one out after giving up two singles. Josh Fields relieved Fiers and picked up two strikeouts to get out of trouble.

Chad Qualls ran into trouble in the seventh allowing a lead off single to Anthony Gose, who quickly stole second. Cabrera then hit a line drive homerun to right field to cut the lead to one.

In the eighth Will Harris relieved Qualls, but faced similar struggles allowing a leadoff single to come around to score tying the game. Harris rebounded with five strikeouts and was able to maintain the tie through the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth Carter and Conger quickly got out, leaving Jake Marisnick with a chance to play the unlikely hero and he did not shy away from the moment, tripling to deep right center field. With a man in scoring position Altuve didn’t make us wait very long, as he took the very next pitch and singled to left center for the walk off win!!!

With the Altuve walk off, the Astros moved back to ten games over .500 at 64-54. The Tampa Bay Rays come to town for a four game series starting tomorrow. Scott Kazmir will take the mound for game one facing off against Erasmo Ramirez.