In the third of a four-game series between the Detroit Tigers (26-17) and the Houston Astros (26-17) at Comerica Park, Kyle Lobstein (3-4, 4.29 ERA) and Lance McCullers (0-0, 1.93 ERA) take the mound. The Tigers won the last game 6-2 and Detroit leads the series 2-0. The game gets underway at 4:08 p.m. ET on Saturday, May. 23 and will air on ROOT-SW and FSN-DET.
In his most recent outing, Lobstein pitched 6.2 innings, giving up three runs, striking out three and walking one in a 3-2 loss to the Brewers. Miguel Cabrera (.342, 24 Rs, 10 HRs, 31 RBIs, 1 SB) continued his strong season yesterday, going 2 for 3 with one run. The Astros were unsuccessful the last time McCullers pitched. He tossed, going 4.2 innings, allowing one run, striking out five and walking three in a 2-1 loss to the Athletics.
Detroit, a -117 favorite, will look to capitalize at home against Houston. The Over/Under (O/U) for the matchup is set at eight runs. The Tigers have a winning record of 17-11 when playing as the favorite and an overall money line of +558. The Tigers are a nightmare for opponents on the bases with 41 steals, one of the highest totals in baseball.
Moving on to the away team, the Astros come into this game with a solid win percentage of .696 when playing as the underdog (16-7) and an overall money line of +1,223. The Astros are the top-ranked scoring offense in the AL when playing on the road, averaging five runs per game so far. Houston is one of the top road hitting teams in the AL with an average of 9.2 hits per contest. The Astros have racked up 39 steals on the year, making them one of the most threatening base-running teams in the league. The Astros are a problem for opposing batters, sporting an AL-low 3.21 ERA on the road this season. They have a WHIP of 1.16, third best in the MLB.
The previous two games have all gone Detroit’s way. The Tigers will take on a right-hander (McCullers) in this game and have an 18-14 record against right-handed starting pitchers this season. The left-handed Lobstein will take the mound against the Astros, who have a 10-6 record against lefty starters this season.
Predictions: SU Winner – DET, O/U – Over
Notes
The Tigers and the Astros are both 3-1 in games that go into extra innings.
The Astros are coming into this game after allowing one walk during their last outing. The Tigers have a 5-2 record when opponents give up that many walks or fewer.
When they are outhit, the Tigers are 1-12. The Astros have an 8-12 record when opponents outhit them.
Ranking first in home runs, Houston has hit 62 this season. Detroit ranks 15th with 37 home runs.
Ranking 14th, Houston is in the top half of the league in hits, notching 7.64 per game. Detroit ranks in the top five at second with 9.57.
Ranking 14th, Houston is in the top half of the league for its on-base plus slugging percentage (.714). Detroit ranks in the top five at second with an OPS of .774.
The Astros are 11-9 in games where they allow one or more home runs. The Tigers are 10-12 when they allow at least one homer.
