DETROIT -- Astros center fielder Taylor Trammell broke up a perfect game by Tigers starter Troy Melton with one out in the sixth inning Thursday night at Comerica Park. And he did so in grand fashion -- lining a 422-foot homer that stayed just inside the right-field foul pole -- while also providing the first run in a 2-1 Houston victory.
Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai (5-3) brought a 6.15 ERA into the game, but he did a great job of matching Melton almost stride for stride. He walked Dillon Dingler in the first inning, but retired the next nine in order before Riley Greene got Detroit’s first hit with a single in the fourth.
Imai was brilliant over six innings, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out 10 -- one short of his total from his previous start against the Guardians. He had great command, throwing 63 of 96 pitches for strikes.
Trammell had just one homer in 81 previous at-bats this season and had popped out foul to third base in the third inning. But he put this one out like a rocket, and it traveled a Statcast-projected 110.5 mph at a 25-degree launch angle. He got all of the 0-1 slider that Melton hung over the middle of the plate.
Houston added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Jeremy Peña led off with a single, stole second and went to third on a grounder by Yordan Alvarez. Isaac Paredes scored Peña with a sacrifice fly that went plenty deep to center.
The run came in handy, as Dingler homered with one out in the ninth and Greene singled before a double play ended the game, with Enyel De Los Santos getting the save.