Ramos homers twice, Tigers slug Astros for 2nd straight win

HOUSTON (AP) — Wilson Ramos hit two home runs and Renato Núñez and rookie Akil Baddoo each homered for the second straight game as the Detroit Tigers slugged their way to an 8-2 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Baddoo, a Rule 5 pick, is off to a scorching start to his major league career with four homers in eight games. Nomar Mazara also homered to give the Tigers a season-high five long balls as they won their second straight following a four-game skid.

The Tigers spoiled the Astros debut of Jake Odorizzi (0-1), who got a late start to the season after signing on March 8. Detroit tagged him for seven hits and five runs, including three homers, in 3 1/3 innings to hand the Astros their fourth consecutive loss after a 6-1 start.

In his first visit to his former team, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch won the opening two games, securing the Tigers' first series win against the Astros since July 28-30, 2017, and the first series win in Houston since May 2-5, 2013. Hinch was suspended for a year by MLB in January 2020 and subsequently fired by the Astros for his role in the team’s sign-stealing scandal before being hired by Detroit this offseason.

Detroit starter Matthew Boyd (2-1) yielded six hits and one run in 6 2/3 innings.

Yordan Alvarez and Yuli Gurriel hit consecutive singles with no outs in the second and Alvarez scored on a one-out single by Myles Straw that made it 1-0. But Boyd struck out Jason Castro and Jose Altuve to limit the damage.

Those strikeouts were the first of 10 batters in a row retired by Boyd. He allowed a single apiece in the fifth and sixth innings.

The Tigers tied it in the third with Baddoo’s full-count homer to the seats in left field. The ball landed in a sea of Astros fans clad in orange and navy jerseys. But a lone fan in a...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Ramos-homers-twice-Tigers-slug-Astros-for-2nd-16099222.php