Colt Keith has 3 home runs and 6 RBIs as the Tigers blow past the Astros 9-3

The 24-year-old Keith, who entered the day with one home run in 65 games this season, became the youngest Tigers player with a three-homer game since 20-year-old Al Kaline in 1955. This century, only eight Tigers have accomplished the feat — including Miguel Cabrera twice.

McGonigle homered in the second inning for a 2-0 lead before Keith drilled his first homer of the night, a 411-foot two-run shot, in the third. Torkelson followed with his 12th home run of the season to put the Tigers up 5-0.

Keith launched his second longball over the right-field wall to plate two more runs in the seventh before capping the scoring with a solo shot to left in the ninth to seal the win.

Keith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the first and Dillon Dingler scored on a passed ball by Astros catcher Christian Vázquez in the fifth.

Kyle Finnegan (2-0) threw a one-hit fifth inning to earn the win in relief. Tyler Holton worked 1 2/3 innings for his fifth straight scoreless outing. The Tigers scratched starter Troy Melton with back tightness before the game, forcing a bullpen game.

Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve connected on back-to-back homers in the third to pull the Astros to 5-3, but that was all Houston mustered offensively.

Kai-Wei Teng (3-6) gave up five runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings for the Astros. He struck out nine.

Up next

LHP Framber Valdez (3-5, 4.40 ERA) gets the start for the Tigers and RHP Hunter Brown (1-0, 0.84 ERA) takes the mound for the Astros in the second game of the series.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb