Astros beat Tigers 3-2, extend winning streak to six games

HOUSTON (AP) – Jose Altuve homered early, and Michael Brantley tripled in a two-run eighth to help the Houston Astros run their winning streak to a season-best six games with an 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday. The win was manager Dusty Baker’s 2,004th, passing Bruce Bochy (2,003) for 11th on the all-time list. The Astros trailed 2-1 in the eighth when Altuve singled with one out and scored on a triple to right field by Brantley to tie it. The Tigers intentionally walked Yordan Alvarez with two outs before Michael Fulmer (1-1) walked Yuli Gurriel to load the bases. Another walk to Kyle Tucker scored Brantley to put Houston up 3-2. Bryan Abreu (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and closer Ryan Pressly threw a perfect ninth for his fourth save. Miguel Cabrera doubled in the third inning to join Hank Aaron and Albert Pujols as the only players in MLB history to have at least 3,000 hits, 500 homers and 600 doubles in their careers. TWINS 1, ATHLETICS 0 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Jorge Polanco homered in the sixth inning and four Minnesota pitchers made it stand up, sending Oakland to its eighth straight loss. Minnesota pitchers combined to strike out 15 while allowing just three hits. Polanco had three of Minnesota’s five hits. Griffin Jax (2-0) earned the win with 1 2/3 innings in relief. Jhoan Duran struck out five in two innings for his second save. James Kaprielian (0-2) surrendered one run on three hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven. DODGERS 7, CUBS 0, 1st GAME CHICAGO (AP) – Clayton Kershaw dominated over seven innings and Los Angeles beat Chicago in the opener of a split doubleheader. Freddie Freeman doubled three times and scored twice, helping the NL West leaders win for the 16th time in 21 games. Austin Barnes homered and drove in three runs. Kershaw (4-0) gave up five hits, struck out two and walked one, combining with two relievers on Los Angeles’ third shutout of the season. Drew Smyly (1-3) lasted 4 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs and six hits. REDS 9, PIRATES 2, 1st GAME CINCINNATI (AP) – Pittsburgh emergency catcher Josh VanMeter had a rough time in his first try behind the plate since he was a teenager, and Cincinnati took advantage to end a nine-game losing streak in the opener of a doubleheader. Pirates starting catcher Roberto Pérez was helped off the field with a left hamstring injury after falling while rounding second base in the top of the eighth. Backup catcher Andrew Knapp had been ejected in the bottom of the sixth. Tyler Stephenson hit a tiebreaking, bases-loaded double in the eighth inning that fueled a seven-run burst. Tyler Naquin drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double. Lucas Sims (1-0) earned the win. Wil Crowe (1-2) took the loss. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports