Houston — The way Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire juggled his batting order Friday, it made perfect sense. It didn’t work; but you get what he was going for.
Facing Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel, Gardenhire moved his best hitter, Nick Castellanos, into the No. 3 spot, and put his hottest hitter, Niko Goodrum, in the leadoff spot. He put right-handed hitting John Hicks in the No. 2 spot and hit catcher James McCann clean-up.
“I’d like to see Nicky hit with men on base,” Gardenhire said before the game.
Goodrum came in with a .