Tigers host the Astros in first of 4-game series

Houston Astros (39-43, second in the AL West) vs. Detroit Tigers (34-46, fourth in the AL Central)

Detroit; Thursday, 6:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Tatsuya Imai (4-3, 6.15 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 48 strikeouts); Tigers: Troy Melton (4-0, 2.56 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 19 strikeouts)

LINE: Tigers -115, Astros -106; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Tigers host the Houston Astros to open a four-game series.

Detroit is 34-46 overall and 22-18 at home. The Tigers are 24-6 in games when they scored five or more runs.

Houston has a 39-43 record overall and a 19-22 record on the road. The Astros are fifth in MLB play with 107 total home runs, averaging 1.3 per game.

The matchup Thursday is the fourth time these teams meet this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Dillon Dingler leads the Tigers with 35 extra base hits (15 doubles, two triples and 18 home runs). Colt Keith is 7 for 28 with four home runs and 10 RBI over the last 10 games.

Yordan Alvarez has a .322 batting average to lead the Astros, and has 16 doubles and 25 home runs. Isaac Paredes is 13 for 38 with a home run and seven RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 5-5, .245 batting average, 2.86 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs

Astros: 6-4, .236 batting average, 3.70 ERA, outscored by four runs

INJURIES: Tigers: Bailey Horn: 60-Day IL (elbow), Burch Smith: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Parker Meadows: 60-Day IL (head/arm), Wenceel Perez: 10-Day IL (face), Gleyber Torres: 10-Day IL (oblique), Jack Flaherty: 15-Day IL (leg), Javier Baez: 60-Day IL (ankle), Trey Sweeney: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brant Hurter: 60-Day IL (back), Justin Verlander: 60-Day IL (hip), Reese Olson: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jackson Jobe: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Astros: LaMonte Wade: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Braden Shewmake: 10-Day IL (groin), Nick Allen: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Lance McCullers: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Bennett Sousa: 15-Day IL (elbow), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Carlos Correa: 60-Day IL (ankle), Brandon Walter: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ronel Blanco: 60-Day IL (elbow), Hayden Wesneski: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.