Detroit: Lance McCullers got Ian Kinsler to ground into a triple play in the fifth inning and the Houston right-hander went on to earn his first career victory on Saturday, leading the Astros over the Detroit Tigers 3-2.
Detroit led 2-1 in the fifth and had runners on first and second when Kinsler hit a grounder to third. Jonathan Villar stepped on the bag and threw to second, where Jose Altuve relayed the ball to first.
It was Houston’s first triple play since 2004 and the Astros followed that up by scoring two runs in the sixth to go ahead.
McCullers (1-0) allowed two runs and six hits with six strikeouts over six innings in his second career start.
The Houston bullpen did not allow a base runner. Luke Gregerson pitched the ninth for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Kyle Lobstein (3-5) gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings.
The triple play was a highlight of what was generally a sloppy game.
McCullers threw a wild pitch during an intentional walk in the third, and it looked like Houston’s defence might cost the Astros the game in the fifth. After James McCann led off with a double, Jose Iglesias reached on an infield single when McCullers failed to cover first on a grounder to the right side.
Anthony Gose followed with a grounder to second that looked like a potential double play — but Jose Altuve threw wildly to second for an error. McCann scored to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
But with Miguel Cabrera looming on deck, Kinsler hit his grounder to third, and McCullers was suddenly out of the inning.
Elsewhere, Choo Shin-soo hit a go-ahead single and a three-run homer in a 10-run third inning that chased CC Sabathia from his shortest start in six years as the Texas Rangers routed the reeling Yankees 15-4 to send New York to their ninth loss in 10 games.
Shoo and Prince Fielder each had two hits in the third. Fielder finished with three RBIs and hit his third homer in a two games.
The Rangers, who rode a seven-run third Friday to a 10-9 win, won their fourth straight and sent the Yankees to their fifth loss in a row.
