The Tigers beat the Astros, 7-2. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Dillon Dingler tripled in a six-run first inning and the Detroit Tigers finished a sweep of the Houston Astros with a 7-2 win on Wednesday.
Dingler added a double and scored twice as the Tigers won for the seventh time in eight games. The Astros have lost four straight.
Charlie Morton (9-10) allowed two runs on three hits and three walks in six innings.
Framber Valdez (11-7) gave up seven runs, matching a season high, in five innings. He is 0-3 in his last five starts.
The Tigers scored five runs before Valdez recorded an out. Jahmai Jones and Gleyber Torres started the first with walks, Andy Ibáñez hit an RBI single and Spencer Torkelson made it 2-0 with a double.
Valdez’s first wild pitch allowed Ibáñez to score, and after Riley Greene walked, Valdez threw another wild pitch to let Torkelson score the fourth run.
Dingler then tripled off the wall in center. Taylor Trammell hit the fence while trying to make the play and ended up leaving the game on a cart.
Manager Joe Espada spoke with MLB.com's Brian McTaggart after the game and said Trammell is being evaluated for a concussion, but will head to Baltimore with the club.
Taylor Trammell was being evaluated for a concussion, but will travel with the club to Baltimore. Espada said he's getting looked at for his back and his neck was stiff.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 20, 2025
Valdez finally got an out when Wenceel Pérez grounded out, but Javier Báez hit an RBI single to make it 6-0.
Báez made it a seven-run game in the third with another RBI single. The Astros ended their 31-inning scoreless streak on Mauricio Dubón’s two-run homer in the fourth.
Mauricio Dubón!!!!! pic.twitter.com/xNjo8RNUxt
— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) August 20, 2025
Key moment
Houston nearly ended their scoreless streak in the third inning. Jeremy Peña led off with a double and took third on Carlos Correa’s fly ball to right. Morton, though, got Jose Altuve and Christian Walker to pop out to short.
Key stat
The game was Detroit’s 13th in 13 days.
Up next
Houston visits Baltimore for a four-game series. RHP Jason Alexander (3-1, 4.74) is scheduled to start Thursday’s opener against RHP Brandon Young (1-6, 5.68).
Detroit begins a series Friday at Kansas City. RHP Casey Mize (12-4, 3.63) is scheduled to start for the Tigers.
Astros hunting for right formula to steady the ship
Aug 19, 2025, 2:13 pm
The Astros will need a bounce-back performance Tuesday night in Detroit after dropping the series opener in lopsided fashion. Houston (69-56) has managed to stay atop the AL West (1.5 game lead), but recent struggles on both sides of the ball have left little margin for error as the season winds down.
Hunter Brown gets the ball for Houston, and few pitchers have been more reliable in 2025. The right-hander enters at 10-5 with a 2.45 ERA, a 1.00 WHIP and 164 strikeouts — numbers that have made him an anchor of an otherwise up-and-down staff. His challenge, however, is no small one. Across the mound, Detroit counters with Tarik Skubal, who is putting together one of the best seasons of any pitcher in the league with an 11-3 record, 2.42 ERA, and 190 strikeouts.
The Tigers (74-53) come in with momentum, owning a 40-24 record at home and winners of seven of their last ten. Their pitching has been a backbone all season, ranking fourth in the American League in ERA at 3.81. Detroit also holds a 1-0 edge in this series after Monday night’s rout, though the season set remains tied at two games apiece.
Astros' secret sauce
For Houston, the formula is simple — score early and often. The Astros are 41-7 when pushing across at least five runs, but they’ve been stuck in a rut lately, hitting just .212 over their last 10 games while their pitching staff has posted a 5.87 ERA.
Jose Altuve continues to be a steady presence in the lineup with 22 homers and 64 RBIs, while Jeremy Peña will look to build on flashes of power despite going just 7-for-36 over his past 10 games. For Detroit, Gleyber Torres and Riley Greene have carried the offense of late, with Greene driving in eight runs over his last 10 contests.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. EDT at Comerica Park, where the Astros will try to even the series and keep their hold on the AL West lead intact.
Betting odds
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Tigers -172, Astros +143; over/under is 7 runs
Roster moves
The Astros have recalled RHP Logan VanWey and designated RHP Tayler Scott for assignment after a rough outing against the Tigers.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/u8VC1GZJbc
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 19, 2025
Starting lineups
The first thing that jumps off the page is that the Astros are sending all right-handed hitters to face Skubal.
Diesel in Detroit.
⚾️: 5:40 PM CDT | 6:40 PM EDT
📺: @SpaceCityHN | @TBSNetwork (HOU blackout)
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/GqZth9VfJm
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 19, 2025
Nothing unusual with the top four being Pena, Correa, 'Tuve, and Walker. Yainer Diaz will catch and hit fifth, followed by Ramon Urias (2B), Mauricio Dubon (LF), Cam Smith (RF), and Chas McCormick (CF).
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*ChatGPT assisted.
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