The Detroit Tigers activated All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera on Friday, but his presence was not enough to hold off the Houston Astros. The Astros won 5-1 over the Tigers thanks to outstanding pitching from Dallas Keuchel, who improved his record to 14-6. 

The Tigers struck first in the fourth inning. Victor Martinez singled to right field, scoring Ian Kinsler. After, it was all Houston. 

Keuchel struck out eight over 7.0 innings of one run ball. The graduate of the University of Arkansas gave up that single run on six hits and one walk. The 27-year-old is 14-6 with a 2.36 ERA after the superior outing. 

The left-handed pitcher was a seventh round draft pick by the Astros in the 2009 MLB Draft. Keuchel was 9-18 with a 5.20 ERA during his first two seasons in the Major Leagues, which consisted of 239.0 innings pitcher and 47 appearances (38 starts).

However, in the past two seasons, Keuchel has fashioned a 26-15 record with a 2.65 ERA over 364.2 innings pitched an 52 games started. Keuchel has tossed eight complete games and three shutouts over the most recent two seasons compared to one complete game and zero shutouts in his first two in the Big Leagues. 

The Astros got a big fifth inning to help turn the momentum their way. Jose Altuve, 25, picked up an RBI on a ground out that scored Marwin Gonzalez. The All-Star finished the day 2-for-4 with an RBI to increase his batting average to .300 on the season. 

It was a two-RBI double from Jed Lowrie that capped off the fifth inning to give the Astros a 3-1 lead. It was Lowrie's 16th RBI over 30 games for Houston this season. 

After Gonzalez scored in the fifth, he tacked on a run of his own in he sixth. The first baseman played a sacrifice bunt, which allowed Jake Marisnick to score safely. 

The Tigers sent Alfredo "Big Pasta" Simon to the mound on Friday in hopes of a victory, but the outing did not go as planned. 

Simon, who was acquired by Detroit this offseason, pitched just 5.0 innings of work. The right-hander gave up four runs on six hits and four walks. The command was not there, which burned Simon in the long run. With the loss, Simon is now 10-7 with a 4.84 ERA. 

As for the Tigers bullpen, it was decent. Tom Gorzelanny and Al Alburquerque pitched 2.0 total innings of perfection for the sixth and seventh inning. The duo combined for three strikeouts. 

Alex Wilson came on for the eighth inning, but surrendered an RBI double to Chris Carter to give the Astros a 5-1 lead. Wilson's ERA sits at 1.84 after the weak relief outing. 

Cabrera, the Tigers slugger, returned from his six-week disabled list stint. Cabrera was on the disabled list for the first time in his 13-year career, but did not make a rehab game to prepare for his return to the Big Leagues. The former Triple Crown winner finished 0-for-3 with a walk. 

On a side note, Astros outfielder Carlos Gomez, who was acquired at the trade deadline, was very angry after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts. He was so frustrated that he snapped his bat across his thigh after attempting to break it three times prior to it finally cracking. 

On Saturday, the Tigers will sent Justin Verlander to the mound. The right-hander is 1-5 with a 4.57 ERA over 10 games started this season. 

Opposing Verlander will be Collin McHugh, who is 13-6 with a 4.22 ERA over 23 games started during 2015.