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Today’s lineups:
MIN: Max Kepler RF, Jorge Polanco SS, Luis Arraez 2B, Miguel Sano 1B, Josh Donaldson 3B, Jake Cave LF, Nelson Cruz DH, Alex Avila C, Byron Buxton CF, Lewis Thorpe P
HOU: Kyle Tucker RF, Jose Altuve 2B, Alex Bregman 3B, Yordan Alvarez 1B, George Springer CF, Abraham Toro DH, Carlos Correa SS, Michael Brantley LF, Garrett Stubbs C, Brad Peacock P
If you’re a pitcher, you probably don’t want to give up six runs in less than two innings. The Twins put that humbling fate on Brad Peacock tonight. For the second time in three games, the Astros needed to turn to their bullpen early.
To open the game, Max Kepler worked a long at bat into a double. He advanced on a groundout by Polanco, and then scored via a single hit by Luis Arraez. Miguel Sano took two balls, and then hit the next pitch 353 feet. That brought the score to three-zip.
In the second inning, the Twins did it again. Alex Avila was the one with the single, and Byron Buxton was the one with the two-run homer. Max Kepler went back-to-back-jacks with Buck, and took the game to 6-0.
In the bottom of the second, Lewis Thorpe surrendered a run. But, it was only one run, and he had plenty to work with. George Springer started the inning with a homer, then three outs came in rapid succession. The bottom of the third was a little worse for Thorpe. Garrett Stubbs also opened that inning with a homer, but Thorpe did not escape quite so easily. Altuve hit a triple, and scored on a sac fly from Bregman. Then Yordan Alvarez hit another solo homer. The inning ended with a score of 6-4 in favor of the Twins.
The scoring for the night ended in the top of the fourth. Polanco walked and Luis Arraez hit a double, putting two men in scoring position for Sano. He’d draw a walk to load the bases, and Josh Donaldson just missed a home run of his own, settling for a sac fly.
Notes
- Arraez was caught stealing again. Despite now leading the majors in batting average, I guess that’s one Rod Carew comparison that doesn’t work.
- The Twins are in third place in the AL, as Toronto and New York are tied at 47-34. No one in the AL West is above .500 right now. Three teams are tied in the west, and the worst team is only four games back.
STUDS:
Max Kepler: 2-5, 2B, HR
Miguel Sano: 1-4, HR, 2 BI, BB
Byron Buxton: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB
DUDS:
No duds, Twins win!
Tomorrow: Off day. Friday the Twins are back home for a weekend series with the Rockies. First pitch 7:10 pm