DETROIT — Zack Short’s first home run in the majors broke a fifth-inning tie and helped the Detroit Tigers snap the Houston Astros’ 11-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.

The Astros could have broken their franchise-record 12-game winning streak with a sweep of the doubleheader.

Casey Mize (5-4) improved to 2-0 in his last four starts, giving up one run on six hits and two walks in six innings. He struck out five to beat the Astros for the second time this season.

Jose Cisnero pitched the seventh for his third save.

Short, called up as Detroit’s 27th man for the doubleheader, had his first career extra-base hit on a third-inning double, then homered off Framber Valdez in the fifth.

Valdez (4-1) lost for the first time in six starts this season, allowing three runs on six hits in a six-inning complete game. He struck out six without walking a hitter.

Valdez and Mize were both starting for the first time since umpires started checking pitchers on Monday. Valdez’s spin rate was down 8% on his sinker and 7% on his curve, while Mize’s four-seam fastball was down 8% and his sinker was down 10%.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second on an Isaac Paredes sacrifice fly, but Carlos Correa tied the game with an RBI single in the third.

In the fifth, Paredes led off with an infield single, took second on a Jake Rogers sacrifice bunt and scored when Short hit a 1-1 changeup just over the right-field fence.

MOVES

Astros: Recalled RHP Andre Scrubb to be the 27th man for today’s doubleheader.

Tigers: Recalled Short to serve as the 27th man. Short came into the game with three singles in five career games, and could stay up to fill Detroit’s shortstop weakness.

SWAMPY WEATHER

Nearly seven inches of rain fell at Comerica Park between Friday and Saturday morning, causing flooding on many local streets and freeways. However, the field was ready to go for the 1:10 start of the opening game.

UP NEXT

Lance McCullers Jr. (4-1, 2.90), whose father pitched briefly for the Tigers in 1990, will face Detroit’s Wily Peralta (0-1, 7.11) in the nightcap.