Detroit @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2015 ) Detroit 1, Houston 5

The Houston Astros finally found their offense late on Friday and hope to carry that surge over into the rest of the weekend. The Astros will try to clinch a series win after dropping three in a row when they host the Detroit Tigers in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.

Houston averaged 1.8 runs in five games – four losses – coming into the series and were held off the board for the first four innings on Friday before stringing some hits together and grabbing a 5-1 win. The Astros moved 2 1/2 games up on the Los Angeles Angels for the American League West lead with the win and were opening up a 10-game homestand on Friday. The Tigers failed to get a lift from Miguel Cabrera (calf), who came off the disabled list on Friday after nearly six weeks and went 0-for-3 with a walk. Cabrera is 1-for-2 with a walk and a run scored against Collin McHugh, who starts for Houston on Saturday opposite Detroit right-hander Justin Verlander.

TV: 7: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, ROOT Southwest (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (1-5, 4.57 ERA) vs. Astros RH Collin McHugh (13-6, 4.22)

Verlander’s inconsistent 2015 continued on Sunday, when he was hit with the loss despite allowing two unearned runs in six innings against Boston. That marked the fourth start in the last seven that the former MVP yielded one or no earned runs, but he was reached for at least five in the other three. Verlander is 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA in four career starts against Houston.

McHugh was let down by his offense at Oakland last Saturday, when he took the loss in a 2-1 final despite allowing two runs and five hits in six frames. The 28-year-old had a four-start winning streak come to an end against the Athletics and has held opponents to two or fewer runs in four of his last five outings. McHugh lost at Detroit on May 22 while yielding three runs on nine hits and a walk in seven frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros RF George Springer (broken wrist) was cleared to resume baseball activities.

2. Detroit RF J.D. Martinez is 2-for-17 with eight strikeouts in his last five games.

3. Houston rookie SS Carlos Correa is 2-for-14 with six walks in the last five games.

PREDICTION: Astros 6, Tigers 2