Porter splits pair of challenges on plays at second

DETROIT -- Astros manager Bo Porter's streak of successful challenges came to an end at five Monday when the umpires said a call at second base in the ninth inning would stand. Porter had a successfully challenged a play at second base earlier in the game.

With the Astros trailing, 2-0, in the ninth, Dexter Fowler drew a leadoff walk and tried to advance to second on a ball in the dirt. He was called out by second-base umpire Seth Buckminster, but Porter figured he'd take a shot at a challenge.

"I just felt like, you're down to your last three outs, you have a challenge left since we got the other one right, and you just take a shot," Porter said. "Maybe they see one replay that gets his foot in there. It was close enough, bang-bang enough, that we just took a shot."

The replay proved to be inconclusive, with Fowler's leg hitting the base just as the tag was applied by shortstop Andrew Romine.

"When I slid in, I didn't [think I was out]," Fowler said. "The replay, I couldn't tell anything. He called me out, so I'm out."

Porter won his fifth consecutive challenge by getting a call overturned in the fifth inning. Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler walked and stole second base, but Porter argued second baseman Jose Altuve's tag on a throw from catcher Jason Castro was in time.

The umpires overturned the call after viewing replay, moving Porter to 5-for-6 in replay challenges. Altuve made the tag high on Kinsler's body, which to the naked eye appeared to allow Kinsler to slide in beneath the throw. Replays showed otherwise.