Imai strikes out 10 as Astros beat Tigers 2-1 and extend winning streak to 3 games

DETROIT (AP) — Tatsuya Imai struck out 10 in six scoreless innings and Taylor Trammell homered to lead the Houston Astros to a 2-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.

Imai (5-3) allowed two hits and a walk and threw 63 of his 96 pitches for strikes in the opener of the four-game series. AJ Blubaugh struck out three in two innings, and Enyel De Los Santos gave up Dillon Dingler's 19th home run in the ninth on the way to his fifth save.

Detroit starter Troy Melton took a perfect game into the sixth inning before Trammell hit a one-out, 0-1 pitch 422 feet to right field for his second home run and a 1-0 lead.

Jeremy Peña singled leading off the ninth against Kenley Jansen and then stole second. Peña took third on a groundout by Yordan Alvarez and scored on a sacrifice fly by Isaac Paredes for an insurance run for Houston.

Melton (4-1) allowed one run on two hits with six strikeouts in six innings for the Tigers, who have lost three straight.

Riley Greene's two-out single off Imai in the fourth was the first hit by either team against the rookie starters.

Houston (40-43) has won three in a row and seven of its last nine to close within two games of the first-place Mariners in the AL West.

The Astros won two of three games in Houston against the Tigers earlier this month.

Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-3, 3.13 ERA) starts Friday opposite Tigers RHP Keider Montero (3-5, 3.68).

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

Houston Astros' Taylor Trammell celebrates his solo home run against the Detroit Tigers with Christian Vazquez (2) during the sixth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers' Riley Greene watches his single against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Tigers' Troy Melton pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Houston Astros' Tatsuya Imai, left, celebrates with Taylor Trammell, right, after leaving a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Houston Astros' Tatsuya Imai pitchs against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

TORONTO (AP) — Marina Mabrey matched the WNBA scoring record with 53 points to help the Toronto Tempo rout the Los Angeles Sparks 125-97 on Thursday night.

Mabrey tied the mark set by Liz Cambage for Dallas against New York on July 17, 2018, and matched by A’ja Wilson for Las Vegas at Atlanta on Aug. 22, 2023.

When she checked out of the game with a minute remaining, fans briefly booed before erupting into cheers in acknowledgement of her big night. The clock ticked down to zero with chants of “We Want Mabrey! We Want Mabrey!”

Mabrey was 17 of 28 from the field, hitting 9 of 18 3-pointers, and made 10 of 12 free throws. The 29-year-old former Notre Dame star shattered the expansion team’s previous high of 38 points done twice by Brittney Sykes.

Julie Allemand added 13 points and 14 assists for Toronto in the highest-score game in the team’s short history.

Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 21 points apiece.

Toronto climbed back to .500 at 9-9, and Los Angeles fell to 8-9.

The Tempo opened a nine-game homestand that includes two games at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Sparks: At Indiana on Saturday night.

Tempo: Host Phoenix on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena,.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey (3) and Los Angeles Sparks' Rae Burrell, second from front right, vie for control of the ball during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey, center left, drives past Los Angeles Sparks' Dearica Hamby, center right, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey (3) drives to the net past Los Angeles Sparks' Jihyun Park (6) during the first half of WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey celebrates after scoring against the Los Angeles Sparks during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey sprints upcourt during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Sparks in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)