Springer, Astros hope to keep rolling in Detroit

George Springer has already been a World Series Most Valuable Player. He'll be in the discussion for American League MVP this season if he keeps hitting at his current pace.

The Astros outfielder is batting .323 with nine doubles, 15 homers and 38 RBI in 42 games. Springer went 2-for-5 at Detroit on Monday night, helping Houston capture its sixth straight victory.

The Astros, who hit four homers Monday during an 8-1 romp, will face off with the Tigers again Tuesday in the middle game of a three-game series.

"He's in a really good place physically and in his preparation," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said recently, according to MLB.com. "He's getting pitches to hit and not missing them, so he's in the at-bats. He's taking close pitches and doing a ton of damage. It's so exciting when he's at the top of the order doing this stuff."

The 2017 World Series MVP had five hits, including two homers, and scored five times in Houston's 15-5 win over the Texas Rangers on Sunday.

The Astros have scored 50 runs during the winning streak.

"It's one of those things where hitting is extremely contagious," Springer told MLB.com. "A guy sees somebody else get a knock and then he wants to get a knock, and the next guy wants to get one."

Astros left-hander Wade Miley will be seeking his third consecutive win on Tuesday. He held the Los Angeles Angels and Texas Rangers to two runs in six innings in each of his past two outings.

Miley (3-2, 3.18 ERA) has not given up more than three runs in any of his eight starts this season and in 24 in a row dating back through all of last season.

He has posted a 1.10 WHIP, which is crucial since he's not a strikeout artist. Miley has fanned 30 batters in 45 1/3 innings, though he did notch his 1,000th career strikeout against the Rangers.

Miley has started four games in his career against Detroit but does not have a decision while posting a 6.63 ERA.

Left-hander Ryan Carpenter will make his second start for the Tigers this season. Called up from Triple-A Toledo last week, Carpenter (0-1, 10.80 ERA) gave up six runs in five innings to the Angels. He made his major league debut last season with the Tigers, appearing in six games, including five starts. He finished with a 1-2 record and a 7.25 ERA.

The presence of Carpenter, who has never faced the Astros, in the rotation speaks to the staff's injury woes. Matthew Boyd is the only member of the original starting five who isn't on the injured list.

It's not a good time for Detroit's banged-up staff to be facing the hot-hitting Astros.

"They're powerful all the way up and down the lineup," Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said postgame Monday. "They have good hitters and they have good plans. They made us work all night long."

Detroit second baseman Josh Harrison returned to the lineup on Monday and had two hits. Harrison was activated from the 10-day IL after recovering from a shoulder contusion.

"He had a good night," Gardenhire said. "He got a couple of hits and jumped right back in the middle of it, which was a good thing for us."

--Field Level Media