The Detroit Tigers badly needed a clutch hit Thursday night, and they finally got it from the unlikeliest of sources. Don Kelly delivered the eventual game-winning RBI single in the top of the 14th, staking the Tigers to a 4-3 lead on the host Houston Astros. Matt Tuiasosopo then piled on with a two-run double and Jhonny Peralta added a sac fly to give Detroit its 7-3 victory.
Luke Putkonen, just up from Toledo to replace the struggling Bruce Rondon in the bullpen, picked up his first career win with 2.1 scoreless innings.
Houston took an early 2-0 lead when Jason Castro bombed a two-run homer off Tigers starter Rick Porcello in the first inning. Detroit rallied in the third, with Torii Hunter and Miguel Cabrera driving in a run each to tie the game at two.
The Astros retook the lead on a Carlos Pena homer in the fourth, but Detroit again knotted the score when Prince Fielder scored from first on a Victor Martinez single and Rick Ankiel error in the eighth. The teams then stayed deadlocked at 3-3 until Detroit put up a four-spot in the 14th.
Tigers’ MVP: Don Kelly.
Kelly has not often been the TDSS MVP vote — he might have earned a nod with his walk-off sac fly against Oakland in the playoffs. He deserves it for his work Thursday, driving in an all-important run in the 14th after both teams had struggled to get on top.
Tigers’ Goat: Alex Avila.
Avila finished 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk before being replaced by a pinch-hitting Brayan Pena. Avila’s average now sits at .176, and the Tigers may have to decide soon if he can still get the job done as their No. 1 catcher.
Checking the Standings: With the Tigers winning and Kansas City getting snowed out — yes, snow — it’s a tie atop the AL Central again. Detroit is 16-11 and Kansas City 15-10.
What’s Next: The Tigers will try to build some momentum off Thursday’s win with Doug Fister on the hill in Houston Friday. The downtrodden Astros will counter will Bud Norris, who has an inflated 7.71 ERA over his past three starts but did K 165 batters in 168 innings last season.