On Deck: Detroit Tigers @ Houston Astros

The Tigers were stifled by Houston ace Dallas Keuchel who continued his phenomenal 2015 campaign with yet another dominant performance at Minute Maid Park.

Ian Kinsler led off with a single.

Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera returned from a six-week stint on the disabled list.

On the heels of a comeback win in the late innings Wednesday in Kansas City, the Tigers were held to just one hit, a single, the final four innings Friday.

He has been taking batting practice for the better part of three weeks and recently took groundballs at first base, completed agility drills and ran the bases before a game.

Miguel Cabrera didn’t do much in his highly anticipated return Friday night. Jose Altuve, 25, picked up an RBI on a ground out that scored Marwin Gonzalez.

“His timing is obviously not ideal”, manager Brad Ausmus said.

On 3-1, Lowrie ripped a two-run double to the gap.

The Tigers and Astros were still playing at that time, roughly at the end of the seventh inning, start of the eighth. In seven innings, Keuchel allowed just one earned run, and struck out eight. Rookie Carlos Correa walked with two outs and stole second base before Lowrie’s double that scored two. Rajai Davis, though, struck out on a 3-2 pitch out of the strike zone and Kinsler grounded back to Keuchel.

On a side note, Astros outfielder Carlos Gomez, who was acquired at the trade deadline, was very angry after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. His frustration boiled over in the eighth inning after his second strikeout when he slammed his bat across his thigh three times before cracking it in half. “So it’s something that you have to stop”.

Tigers: LHP Kyle Lobstein (sore left shoulder) will continue his rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Toledo. Meanwhile, Verlander has struggled to regain his past form, and is only 1-5 with a 4.57 ERA. He has been out since May 24. It was the first game for the former MVP since suffering an injury against Toronto which landed Cabrera on the 15-day disabled list. Springer, who’s hasn’t played since July 1, said it’s been hard to sit out for so long and that’s he’s anxious to take the next step in his recovery.

Evan Gattis led off the sixth with his ninth triple of the year. It was the first run off Wilson in 13 outings.

“He’s not fast. Let’s be honest”, Hinch said.