DETROIT - Tatsuya Imai pitched six scoreless innings to earn his fifth win of the season as the Houston Astros edged the Detroit Tigers 2-1 on Thursday.
Imai (5-3) allowed two hits and one walk, while fanning 10, and threw 63 of his 93 pitches for strikes at Comerica Park.
"I was able to continue from my previous outing and go deeper, which gradually reminded me of my feeling in Japan," said the 28-year-old right-hander, who joined Houston from the Seibu Lions in the offseason.
"As I induced many swings and misses, it seemed that batters viewed my fastballs as sliders."
In other MLB action, Kazuma Okamoto hit his 18th homer this season in the Toronto Blue Jays' 6-5 loss to the Texas Rangers.
Okamoto blasted a two-run homer in the ninth, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs at Rogers Centre.
