Justin Verlander in command as Astros blast Tigers

Justin Verlander pitched seven dominant innings and the visiting Houston Astros rolled to a 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

Verlander (2-1), who pitched for Detroit from 2005-17, retired the first 14 batters he faced. He allowed two hits and recorded eight strikeouts for his 101st victory at the Tigers' Comerica Park.

Kyle Tucker hit his major league-leading 13th homer, a two-run shot. Jake Meyers had three hits and drove in three runs and Mauricio Dubon delivered four hits while scoring a run and driving in another.

Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-3) was charged with three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He recorded seven strikeouts.

Spencer Torkelson hit his first homer this season, a two-run blast, in the ninth.

Verlander got into a groove from the very first batter, as he struck out Riley Greene.

The Astros had a baserunner in each of the first four innings. None got past first base as the Tigers turned three double plays.

The Tigers finally had a baserunner on Colt Keith's infield single with two outs in the fifth. He was then caught stealing.

The deadlock was broken in the sixth after Dubon reached on a one-out single. Tucker lofted a Flaherty slider on a 3-1 count over the right field wall.

Detroit left the bases loaded in the sixth when Matt Vierling flied out.

Bregman led off the seventh with a single. Flaherty recorded two outs before departing. Joey Wentz replaced Flaherty and gave up a single to Joey Loperfido. Meyers then knocked in Bregman with a single. Dubon followed with another RBI single to make it 4-0.

Houston added to its lead against Alex Lange in the eighth. Yainer Diaz drove in a run with a single and Loperfido supplied an RBI double. The Astros scored two more runs on a Meyers single and an error.

Meyers added an RBI single in the ninth.

Akil Baddoo tripled and scored on a balk in the bottom of the inning to end Houston's shutout bid. Torkelson's long ball came with two outs.

--Field Level Media