In the last of a four-game series between the Detroit Tigers (26-18) and the Houston Astros (26-18) at Comerica Park, Anibal Sanchez (3-5, 5.60 ERA) and Roberto Hernandez (2-3, 3.99 ERA) take the mound. The Astros won the last game 3-2 and Detroit leads the series 2-1. The game starts at 1:08 p.m. ET on Sunday, May. 24 and will air on ROOT-SW and FSN-DET.
Sanchez has a 2.15 ERA and a 4-1 record in his career against the Astros, and faces a less-than-stellar Houston offense that’s hitting just .228 on the year. Miguel Cabrera (.342, 24 Rs, 10 HRs, 31 RBIs, 1 SB) went 1 for 3 yesterday. In his pitching opportunities against the Tigers, Hernandez is 8-7 with a 4.32 ERA. He meets a strong Detroit offense that’s batting .279.
Detroit is a -148 favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at eight runs. The Tigers perform well as a favorite with a 17-11 record and have an overall money line of +661. The Tigers are a nightmare for opponents on the bases with 41 steals, one of the highest totals in baseball.
On the other side, the Astros have a nice record of 16-7 when they are the underdog and are +1,110 overall with the money line. They sport the top-ranked offense in the AL, averaging five runs per game. Houston is the top home-run-hitting team in the league with 62 home runs. Houston is a terror on the base paths, ranking fifth in the MLB with 39 stolen bases. Switching gears to Houston’s pitching staff, they have the lowest road ERA in the AL at 3.22. They have a WHIP of 1.15 on the year, good for second in the league.
The Tigers are 2-1 against the Astros this season. The Tigers will take on a right-hander (Hernandez) in this game and have a 19-14 record against right-handed starting pitchers this season. Taking the hill against the Astros will be the right-hander Sanchez. Right-handed starters haven’t been a big issue for them as they sport records of 8-4 on the road and 17-10 overall.
Predictions: SU Winner – DET, O/U – Over
Notes
Houston recorded at least two errors for the fifth time this season.
When the Tigers and the Astros play into extra innings, both teams have a 3-1 record.
The Astros are coming into this game after allowing one walk during their last outing. The Tigers have a 5-3 record when opponents give up that many walks or fewer.
When they outhit their opponents, the Astros are 17-4. The Tigers have a 23-3 record when outhitting opponents.
Both Detroit and Houston are tied at fifth in runs, each scoring 192 this season.
Detroit and Houston both rank in the top 10 of the league in walks. Detroit sits at sixth with 147 this season and Houston ranks seventh with 146.
The Tigers are 18-5 in games where they hit one or more home runs. The Astros are 21-9 when they hit at least one homer.
