Detroit @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2018 ) Detroit 1, Houston 9

Justin Verlander made a major impact when he was traded to the world champion Houston Astros last July and faces his only former team for the first time Sunday when the Detroit Tigers visit for the finale of the three-game set. Verlander went 183-114 in 13 seasons with the Tigers before posting a 9-1 record, including the postseason, with Houston last year and has carried that performance level over to 2018.

Verlander owns 17 quality starts in his 20 outings this season and hopes his teammates can match the offensive production from Saturday’s 9-1 victory as Yuli Gurriel and Jose Altuve each extended their hitting streaks to 11 games. Verlander goes for his 198th career victory Sunday against veteran left-hander Francisco Liriano, who owned a 1.67 ERA in 20 regular-season relief appearances for Houston last season and gave up one total run in five playoff games (2 1/3 innings). The Tigers have managed one run in the first two contests of the series and recorded only five in the last four of their six-game losing streak. Nicholas Castellanos had two of Detroit’s three hits in Saturday’s setback to extend his hitting streak to six games, in which he is 9-for-22.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Francisco Liriano (3-5, 4.74 ERA) vs. Astros RH Justin Verlander (9-4, 2.05)

Liriano was pounded for seven runs on eight hits over 2 1/3 innings while avoiding a decision at Tampa Bay on Monday after posting two straight quality starts. The 34-year-old Dominican is winless in his last nine outings, but limited opponents to three runs or fewer in six of those appearances. Alex Bregman is 5-for-6 with three doubles versus Liriano, who is 2-1 with a 4.58 ERA in three career games against the Astros.

Verlander boasts two quality starts in July without a decision, permitting two runs on seven hits with 16 strikeouts over 13 innings combined. The 35-year-old Virginia native, who owns 160 strikeouts over 131 2/3 innings in 2018, had a 1.11 ERA through May before going 2-2 with a 4.34 mark in June. Victor Martinez is 13-for-46 with four homers against Verlander, who has limited opponents to a .180 batting average overall this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit C James McCann doubled in Castellanos with the only run Saturday and is 6-for-17 during a five-game hitting streak.

2. Houston DH Evan Gattis snapped out of an 0-for-19 slump with a solo homer Saturday after striking out his first two at-bats.

3. The Astros are tied for the American League lead with nine shutouts and the Tigers have been blanked a major league-high 12 times.

PREDICTION: Astros 7, Tigers 1