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Houston’s Gerrit Cole mows down Detroit Tigers with 12 strikeouts in 7 innings in Astros’ 6-3 win

Detroit Tigers reliever Gregory Soto delivers against the Astros in the sixth inning Thursday in Houston. (AP photo)

HOUSTON — A day after failing to back a gem by ace Justin Verlander, Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros were determined to convert on another from Gerrit Cole.

Cole struck out 12 over seven scoreless innings, Bregman homered and the Astros beat the Detroit Tigers 6-3 Thursday night. After the Tigers stunned Houston in a 2-1 win Wednesday despite Verlander’s complete-game two-hitter, the Astros gave Cole more than enough run support.

Michael Brantley extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a fourth-inning double, and Bregman followed with a lined shot to the first row of the left field Crawford Boxes for his 31st homer.

“He set the tone,” Bregman said of Cole. “He came out dominant and was striking a lot of guys out so we knew we had to get him some runs.”

Cole (15-5) pitched two-hit ball and allowed one walk over 94 pitches. He’s 11-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his past 15 starts and has 238 strikeouts this season, one shy of teammate and league leader Verlander.

Brantley finished with three hits, including a two-run single in the seventh. He leads the majors with a .338 batting average.

Tigers starter Jordan Zimmermann (1-9) allowed three hits and two runs while striking out four in five innings.

Houston went up 3-0 in the sixth on Yordan Alvarez’s RBI-double. Yuli Gurriel also added an RBI single in the seventh to put the Astros up 6-0.

In the ninth, John Hicks hit a two-run homer — much less dramatic than his go-ahead solo shot off Verlander the night before — and Niko Goodrum added a solo homer off reliever Joe Biagini.

Representing the tying run, Dawel Lugo’s deep shot to right field was caught by Josh Reddick at the wall for the final out. Roberto Osuna earned his 30th save of the season.

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