HOUSTON – While it was lost in the wash following a pair of dramatic late-inning rallies, the outstanding performance delivered by Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander should not go unnoticed or disregarded.

Tigers first baseman Victor Martinez keyed a three-run rally in the 11th inning as the Detroit Tigers rebounded from a late comeback by the Houston Astros in a 4-2 win on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.

Martinez lined the first pitch from Astros right-hander Pat Neshek (3-3) into the left-center field gap, a double that scored shortstop Jose Iglesias and snapped a 1-1 deadlock. Right fielder J.D. Martinez and left fielder Tyler Collins followed with RBI singles to chase Neshek, put the Tigers (56-60) comfortably ahead, and square this three-game series.

Verlander, meanwhile, continued his recent resurgence, allowing just three hits and two walks while recording seven strikeouts over seven shutout innings. Excluding an Aug. 4 loss to the Royals when he allowed five earned runs, Verlander has posted a 0.62 ERA with 27 strikeouts over 29 innings starting with a seven-inning outing at Boston on July 24.

"Early on, I felt OK," Verlander said. "As the game wore on, I felt better and better. I have been working a lot since I came back off the DL, throwing a lot and trying to find it. I think now I am getting back into my normal routine and not throwing it as much. I just kind of let my body recover as I should."

Right-hander Al Alburquerque (2-0) earned the victory while Neftali Feliz tallied his seventh save, and first with the Tigers, despite allowing the Astros (63-54) to muster consecutive two-out hits in the 11th.

Tigers closer Bruce Rondon could not save what Verlander started, surrendering a game-tying, leadoff home run to Astros left fielder Preston Tucker in the bottom of the ninth. That 421-foot blast to right-center field proved redemptive for Tucker, whose fielding mishap enabled the Tigers to secure a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning.

Excluding shortstop Carlos Correa, who reached base in all three of his plate appearances against Verlander, the Astros were overmatched.

Verlander helped his cause by picking off second baseman Jose Altuve for the first out in the first inning after Altuve opened with a leadoff single. He did not allow another hit until Correa singled with one out in the fourth, retiring eight consecutive batters during that stretch. Verlander did not allow a runner into scoring position and did not face more than four batters in any of his seven innings.

"That was certainly one of the better outings I've seen," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Verlander. "Again, he did an excellent job of executing his game plan."

Astros right-hander Collin McHugh nearly matched Verlander in effectiveness, surrendering just four hits -- all singles -- over seven innings, with the misplay by Tucker in the fifth inning proving costly.

McHugh made his own bed by issuing a two-out walk to nine-hole hitter Anthony Gose. Second baseman Ian Kinsler followed with a sinking line drive that handcuffed the sliding Tucker, who was originally credited with making the catch. But Ausmus challenged the ruling and it was quickly reversed, and with Gose running on contact, Kinsler was credited with an RBI single despite the fact that Gose never crossed home plate.

"It was tough because it's one of those half-knuckleball, top-spinning line drives," Tucker said. "I slid and it ended up hitting some part of my glove and rolled up my arm a little bit. Whether it hit the ground or not, I couldn't tell."

That judgment call irked Astros manager A.J. Hinch, who was ejected after a heated chat with plate umpire Bill Miller. McHugh rebounded to record seven strikeouts against two walks, but exited trailing 1-0.

"I didn't really have a disagreement with anything," Hinch said. "I wanted an explanation. That's all you can ask for in my position. We got out there civilly to ask him how the runners (advanced) - not arguing the play. Tucker dropped it. Everyone saw it. We saw the replay. It's pretty unacceptable to be told it doesn't matter."

NOTES: Victor Martinez made his first start at first base since Sept. 21, 2014, essentially switching positions with Miguel Cabrera, who served as the designated hitter. Cabrera returned from a 35-game stint on the disabled list (left calf strain) on Friday night and Tigers manager Brad Ausmus opted to keep Cabrera off his legs while also affording him an opportunity to regain his timing at the plate. ... Ausmus was part of the pregame ceremony honoring the 2005 National League champion Astros. Ausmus, who spent 10 seasons in Houston, played 134 games for the Astros that season. ... Astros 3B Jed Lowrie hit cleanup for a third consecutive start and, based on his strike zone discipline and professional approach, appears to have the inside track to securing that place in the batting order.