The Detroit Tigers evened up their four-game home series with the Houston Astros on Friday night with an 8-0 blowout victory over the visitors. Keider Montero tossed seven innings of shutout ball and the offense rallied behind home runs by Kerry Carpenter and Colt Keith.
Climbing the mound for the Motor City Kitties on Saturday afternoon looking to take the series lead is left-hander Framber Valdez, who has had a strong June after a rough May. The 32-year-old has allowed just one run in three of his
four starts this month and posted a 2.45 ERA and a 4.01 FIP over that stretch with two wins and a loss to show for.
One of those gems he threw came against the Astros the last time he saw them, surrendering an unearned run on six hits and three walks while striking out six in a no-decision at Daikin Park that Detroit ultimately lost, 4-2.
For Houston, right-hander Kai-Wei Teng will make his 10th start of the season as he comes off his second-best outing so far. The 27-year-old held the Cleveland Guardians to just one run over six innings of work on four hits and a walk while striking out four to earn his fourth win in a 4-2 final at home.
However, his prior start against the Tigers was not a pretty one. The native of Taiwan coughed up five runs on six hits (three home runs) and three walks while striking out a whopping nine — and hitting a pair of batters — to earn his sixth loss in a 9-3 final in Houston.
Here is a look at how the two match up on Saturday afternoon at Comerica Park.
Detroit Tigers (35-47) vs. Houston Astros (40-44)
Time (ET): 1:10 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site: The Crawfish Boxes
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 83: LHP Framber Valdez (4-5, 3.91 ERA) vs. RHP Kai-Wei Teng (4-6, 4.03 ERA)
VALDEZ
TENG
