HOUSTON _ Fans certainly get a bang for their buck when Spencer Turnbull is on the mound.
The rookie right-hander crammed 73 pitches, a bunch of walks, a couple of home runs and one spectacular escape into his three innings Tuesday against the Houston Astros, who beat the Tigers for the second straight night, 6-3.
After Victor Reyes put the Tigers on top with a solo home run to lead off the game, Turnbull gave up back-to-back home runs to George Springer and Jose Altuve to start the bottom of the first.
He hit Alex Bregman and walked Yordan Alvarez before getting a double-play ball from Yuli Gurriel to end the inning.
Alvarez, the Astros rookie who has 19 home runs this season in 55 games, walked four times.
Turnbull nearly escaped more trouble in the second. With runners at second and third and one out, he struck out Springer. Altuve then hit a slow roller that hugged the third-base line. It looked like it was going to roll foul and never did.
It ended up being an RBI single, which was followed by a two-run double by Michael Brantley. Just like that, the Astros hit Turnbull with five runs and pushed his pitch count over 50.
But just when you think he's spent, he punches his way out of a first-and-third, no-out mess in the third inning. He struck out Josh Reddick, got Martin Maldonado to line out to Dawel Lugo at third and struck out Jack Mayfield on his 73rd and final pitch of the night.
A short but eventful night for Turnbull.
Try as they might, the Tigers couldn't dig out of the hole. They bounced Astros starter Aaron Sanchez out of the game in a two-run third inning, but never delivered a true knockout punch.
They loaded the bases with no outs and scored the two runs on a bases-loaded walk to Miguel Cabrera and a ground out by Lugo.
Reyes had a pair of hits and a walk. He's had seven multi-hit games over his last 10, hitting .380 over that stretch. Gordon Beckham, Cabrera and Jordy Mercer had two hits each.
Lugo, who doubled in the second inning, also saved a couple of runs in the fourth. With the bases loaded and two outs, he ranged to his left and fielded a high bouncer. He spun and threw a dart to get Gurriel by a half step.
Maldonado put the sixth run on the board for the Astros, lining a solo home run to left field off Matt Hall in the fifth.
The Tigers were without two of their hotter hitters. Travis Demeritte and Niko Goodrum were held out of the lineup with sore groins.
It was the fourth straight loss for the Tigers, their eighth straight to the Astros, and it drops their August record to 5-14. They have not won more than five games in a month since May.
