Robbie Grossman drove home the game-winning run on a squeeze play in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
With one out and Akil Baddoo on third base, Grossman laid down a bunt to score Baddoo, a courtesy runner who began the inning at second base and then took third on a groundout by Jonathan Schoop.
The Astros had runners on second and third with one out in the 10th inning, but Detroit reliever Gregory Soto (4-1) escaped the jam with a popout and a groundout.
Detroit starter Tarik Skubal limited Houston to one run on one hit in seven innings and struck out nine. Houston starter Jake Odorizzi tossed five scoreless innings, allowing two hits.
Baddoo had an RBI single for the Tigers, who earned a split of the four game series.
Myles Straw had the only Astros hit in the first three innings. Houston then pushed across a run in the fourth. Skubal hit Jose Altuve in the foot with a pitch. Straw walked and Yuli Gurriel hit into a fielder’s choice, putting runners on the corners with one out.
A four-pitch walk to Yordan Alvarez loaded the bases before Carlos Correa hit a sacrifice fly to center.
With Cristian Javier on in relief, the Tigers threatened in the sixth. Baddoo led off with a walk. Javier struck out the next two batters but also walked Jeimer Candelario. Javier wiggled out of the jam by getting Nomar Mazara to ground out.
The Tigers broke through in the seventh. Willi Castro and Zack Short drew one-out walks against Javier. After Jake Rogers popped out, Brooks Raley replaced Javier and promptly gave up a tying single to Baddoo.
The Astros had two runners on with two out in the eighth against Jose Cisnero. Straw singled and Gurriel drew a walk but Cisnero struck out Alvarez to end the threat.
Raley walked Grossman leading off the eighth. Ryne Stanek replaced Raley and gave up a single to Candelario. They were left stranded as the next three batters flied out.
–Field Level Media
