Rookie Raynel Delgado delivered a tiebreaking two-run single in the eighth inning, lifting the Houston Astros to a 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday at Daikin Park.
The win evened the series after defensive miscues by the Tigers allowed the Astros to rally from a 2-1 deficit.
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Detroit manager AJ Hinch lamented the defensive lapses that gave Houston extra opportunities. "We gave them a few extra opportunities and they took advantage of it," Hinch said.
The game marked the return of starting pitcher Framber Valdez to Houston, where he spent eight seasons and won a World Series.
Valdez struck out six over six innings, allowing one unearned run.
"I knew this (game) was meant to happen," Valdez said. "I was ready to treat it like just another game and do my job."
Hinch praised Valdez's poise despite the emotional return. "I thought Framber was excellent," Hinch said.
"He was able to get some big outs and left the game right where we could've hoped."
Valdez acknowledged the significance of facing his former teammates. "It was emotional and it was fun.
But it was another game," he said.
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A defensive error on a ground ball in the fifth inning led to the only run charged to Valdez.
He accepted responsibility for the misplay.
"That is my responsibility for that," Valdez said. "I jumped late to first base."
Hinch defended the decision to use Keider Montero out of the bullpen after recent rotation adjustments.
Montero struck out two over 1 1/3 innings before a fielding error by Kevin McGonigle sparked the Astros' rally.
"I think he's tremendous in his own right," Hinch said of Montero. "He just got a little unlucky in how that inning unfolded."
Bryan King earned the win for Houston, and Josh Hader secured his third save by striking out Jake Rogers.
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The series concludes Wednesday with Detroit's Casey Mize facing Houston right-hander Peter Lambert.
