Lambert Dominates, Pena Goes Deep as Houston Handles Detroit
Peter Lambert threw 7.0 innings of two-hit, one-run ball with five strikeouts and zero walks — a performance that made the outcome feel settled long before the final out. Jeremy Pena backed him up with a home run, two RBI, and a run scored, giving Houston everything it needed in a 4-2 win over Detroit.
The story of the night was Lambert, and it wasn't particularly close. Seven innings, two hits, one earned run, no walks, five strikeouts — that's a line that makes a manager's job easy. The Astros' offense did its part early: Pena went 2-for-4 with the long ball, Yordan Alvarez added an RBI, Isaac Paredes drove in a run, and Cam Smith went 2-for-4 to keep the lineup churning. Houston scored four runs on the night, and the way Lambert was pitching, that was more than enough.
Detroit's night on the mound looked entirely different. Casey Mize lasted just 4.2 innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs while walking one and striking out three. That's a short outing that forces a bullpen into uncomfortable territory early. Jacob Waguespack came on and was sharp — 2.0 innings, no hits, no runs, one strikeout — but the damage from Mize's start was already done. For Detroit, the offense showed some life: Kerry Carpenter hit a solo home run going 1-for-3, and Kevin McGonigle also went deep, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Two home runs from two different Tigers, and they still lost by two. That tells you everything about how well Lambert pitched.
It appears Detroit is navigating this stretch with some real adversity off the field as well — outfielder Wenceel Perez was injured in a training room accident following Tuesday's game, struck in the face by a resistance band. That kind of distraction doesn't help a road club trying to scratch out wins. Houston, meanwhile, looks like a team that got exactly what it needed from its rotation tonight. Lambert's efficiency — zero walks across seven innings — is the kind of start that keeps a bullpen fresh. Enyel De Los Santos handled the eighth with a clean inning, one strikeout, no baserunners. Final: Houston 4, Detroit 2.