DETROIT (Interstat) — The Houston Astros erased a two-run deficit with a three-run eighth inning Saturday afternoon, defeating the Detroit Tigers 8-6 at Comerica Park. Houston collected 15 hits and overcame a grand slam by Detroit’s Kerry Carpenter to even the three-game series after losing Friday night’s opener 8-0.

AJ Blubaugh earned the win in relief, tossing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Josh Hader recorded his seventh save of the season with a perfect ninth inning. Will Vest took the loss for Detroit, which fell to 35-48. Houston improved to 41-44.

The game began quietly. Houston starter Kai-Wei Teng retired the side in the first, and the Astros struck first in the second. Christian Walker led off with a double, and Cam Smith followed with a two-run home run to left field, his ninth of the season. Smith’s shot put Houston ahead 2-0.

Houston added a run in the third. Jeremy Peña singled, moved to third on a single by Isaac Paredes, and scored on a groundout by Jose Altuve that turned into a double play. That made it 3-0.

Detroit roared back in the bottom of the third. Kevin McGonigle walked, then advanced to second on a fielder’s choice that resulted in an error by second baseman Jose Altuve. After Riley Greene popped out, Spencer Torkelson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Carpenter then crushed a 1-1 pitch to right-center for a grand slam, his 12th homer of the season, giving the Tigers a 4-3 lead. Houston’s Teng allowed four earned runs on eight hits over three and two-thirds innings, striking out one.

The Tigers extended their lead in the fourth. Jake Rogers singled, and after two lineouts, Riley Greene singled. Torkelson doubled to left, scoring Rogers and sending Greene to third. Carpenter grounded out, but Detroit led 5-3.

Houston answered in the top of the fourth. Yainer Diaz singled, Jake Meyers singled, and after a popout and a forceout, Peña singled to center to score Diaz, cutting the deficit to 5-4. Paredes grounded out to end the inning.

Detroit reclaimed a two-run advantage in the fifth. Hao-Yu Lee led off with a solo home run to left-center, his third of the year, making it 6-4. James Outman walked but was stranded.

The score remained 6-4 until the seventh. Houston mounted a rally against Vest, who had entered in the sixth. Christian Vazquez lined out to start the inning, and Peña struck out. Paredes then walked, and Altuve singled to put runners at first and second. Walker followed with a single to left that scored Paredes, cutting the lead to 6-5. Joey Loperfido flied out to end the threat.

In the eighth, Houston broke through. Diaz singled off Vest. Meyers struck out, and Taylor Trammell struck out swinging for the second out. Vazquez singled to right, moving Diaz to second. Peña then lined a single to center that scored Diaz. Center fielder James Outman misplayed the ball, allowing Vazquez to advance to third and Peña to second. Paredes followed with a double to right, scoring both Vazquez and Peña to give Houston an 8-6 lead. Altuve grounded out to end the inning.

Reliever Steven Okert had given up a run in the fifth but settled in. He allowed one hit and one earned run over one and one-third innings. Blubaugh took over in the sixth and retired six of the eight batters he faced. Hader entered in the ninth and struck out Jahmai Jones looking to end the game. The final out was confirmed after a challenge by Detroit.

Key performers for Houston included Paredes, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double; Smith, who homered and drove in two; and Walker, who had three hits including two doubles and an RBI. Peña finished with two hits and two RBIs. For Detroit, Carpenter drove in four runs with his grand slam, and Lee homered. Torkelson doubled and drove in a run.

The attendance was 27,232. The game lasted 2 hours, 46 minutes.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Houston 6, Detroit 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Detroit a 51.00 percent probability to win. Detroit was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 14 went under the over-under line of 8.5.