Houston — Alfredo Simon was playing with fire from the outset Friday night.
He was falling behind hitters, searching for and failing to find consistency with his splitter and curveball. He went to three-ball counts on 11 hitters through five innings.
He allowed just two singles to Jose Altuve through four innings, yet he still stranded three runners in scoring position. It was a labor.
It was bound to catch up with him.
And it did.
The Houston Astros scored three times in the fifth inning and went on to beat the Tigers 5-1 at Minute Maid Park.