Keith's triple-homer surge
Colt Keith's three home runs and six RBIs lead Tigers to 9-3 win
Key Points
After hitting three homers and driving in six, Colt Keith said, “I was up there and on-time for the fastballs tonight and I was able to do some damage,” adding, “We all know they come in bunches in this game.”
Keith was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the first inning, an extra impact moment beyond the three homers and six RBIs.
Detroit’s lineup adjustments included a late change: Troy Melton was scheduled to start but was scratched with back tightness; Drew Anderson opened the game, and Kyle Finegan earned the win in relief.
Houston’s Gleyber Torres left the game after feeling pain in his left side following a swing; he had recently returned from the injured list with a left oblique injury and was set to be examined.
In the series’ immediate follow-up, Houston and Detroit were set to play again with Framber Valdez facing Hunter Brown, with coverage starting at 7:45 p.m. on 99.3 The Lift.
Colt Keith hit three home runs and drove in six runs to power the Detroit Tigers to a 9-3 win over the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on Monday night. The 24-year-old second baseman went deep in three different innings — to right-center, down the right-field line, and an opposite-field shot over the left-field wall in the ninth — almost single-handedly ending Detroit's historic power drought. UPI reported that Keith became the youngest Tiger to hit three homers in a game since Hall of Famer Al Kaline did it at age 20 in 1955.
Detroit entered the game having hit just one home run all season. The Tigers added four total on the night, with Kevin McGonigle and Spencer Torkelson also going deep. The win moved Detroit to six games out of the American League's final wild-card spot.
Keith's Three-Homer Blitz Unfolds Inning by Inning
Keith's big night started before he even hit a home run. In the first inning, he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, driving in Detroit's first run. He then launched a two-run shot to right-center field in the third inning, a two-run blast down the right-field line in the seventh, and a solo opposite-field homer in the ninth. By the end, he had touched home plate four times and cleared the fence three.
"I was up there and on-time for the fastballs tonight and I was able to do some damage," Keith said after the game, according to AP News. "We all know they come in bunches in this game." Keith now has four home runs on the 2026 season — three of them came Monday night.
A Historic Night Measured Against Al Kaline
Keith's performance put him in rare company in Tigers history. According to Newsbreak, only Al Kaline — who was just 20 years old on April 17, 1955 — was younger than Keith when he hit three home runs in a single game as a Tiger. In the 21st century, only eight Tigers total have pulled off the feat, including Miguel Cabrera, who did it twice.
Across all of Major League Baseball this season, Keith became just the third player to hit three home runs in one game. He joined Max Muncy, who did it on April 10, and Andy Pages of the Los Angeles Dodgers. His second home run left the bat at 108.8 mph exit velocity, a sign that his swing mechanics may have turned a corner after a difficult April and May.
Detroit's Lineup Scrambles After Melton Scratched
The Tigers went into the game without their scheduled starter. Troy Melton was pulled before first pitch due to back tightness, forcing manager A.J. Hinch to pivot. Drew Anderson opened the game instead. Anderson allowed back-to-back home runs to Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes in the third inning, cutting Detroit's lead to 5-3. After that, the bullpen held Houston scoreless the rest of the way.
Kyle Finegan earned the win in relief, improving to 2-0 on the season. Houston starter Kai-Wei Teng took the loss, falling to 3-6 after giving up five runs in just 3.1 innings. The 26,632 fans at Daikin Park — the Houston venue formerly known as Minute Maid Park — watched Detroit pull away with runs in five different innings.
Torres Exits with Returning Oblique Injury
Houston's night got worse off the field. Gleyber Torres left the game after feeling pain in his left side following a swing in the fourth inning. Torres had just come back from the injured list with a left oblique injury. According to AP News, he was set for an MRI Tuesday morning. His absence adds pressure to an Astros team already thin at second base.
Detroit and Houston are set to play again Tuesday night at Daikin Park. Framber Valdez will start for the Tigers against Hunter Brown for Houston. Radio coverage begins at 7:45 p.m. on 99.3 The Lift.
Sentiment
Mostly PositivePublishers
14
Articles
85
Reach
99
