(Minneapolis) Jose Abreu produced three of his four runs in the first inning with a homer before adding a second two-run in the ninth and the Houston Astros defeated the Minnesota Twins 9-1 on Tuesday.
Yordan Alvarez hit his fourth long ball in three games, then Alex Bregman hit a home run and a productive single for the defending World Series champions.
The Astros thus lead 2-1 in this second round series of Major Baseball and are one victory away from a seventh consecutive appearance in the American League championship series.
“That’s one of the reasons I signed [a contract] with this organization, to be in the best situation and compete [during the playoffs],” said Abreu, who maintained his career-worst average in his first season with the Texan club, at .237.
Game 4 is Wednesday at Target Field. If the Twins force a final duel, it will take place in Houston on Friday.
Astros starter Cristian Javier did well with nine strikeouts in five scoreless innings.
Javier has been inconsistent this year, with a 4.56 ERA, easily his worst in four major league seasons. He failed to complete five innings in five of his 11 starts prior to this one.
Astros manager Dusty Baker has expressed his confidence in the 26-year-old pitcher since the playoffs began, a belief he linked to his long experience with Javier.
The right-hander, who pitched six scoreless innings in Game 4 of last year’s World Series against the Phillies in Philadelphia, lowered his career playoff ERA to 1.91 in 37 2/3 innings .
With 13 strikes on 16 swings against Javier’s sliding ball, the Twins were never able to answer the Astros’ early outburst. Javier allowed only one hit, a double to Max Kepler in the first that put two runners in scoring position.
Javier responded with consecutive takedowns at the expense of Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa.
With five walks and a hit batter, Javier gave the Twins several opportunities to come from behind. They loaded the bases in the fifth, but Kepler and Lewis were struck out.
The Twins left nine players on the trail and were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Correa, who has at least one hit in each of his five playoff games, scored on a Willi Castro single in the sixth. But Jeremy Pena then dove to block a Ryan Jeffers grounder, starting a double play.
The Astros got going from the first at-bat. Jose Altuve welcomed Sonny Gray home with a single. Kyle Tucker allowed him to open the scoring with a single, then Abreu added three points by stretching his arms.
“It was a tough day to hit, so the fact that they got it done quickly was very, very important,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. The team that managed to do this was definitely going to put themselves in the driver’s seat. »
Gray ultimately gave up five runs, four earned, eight hits and one free pass in four innings of work.
“It was a very tough battle as a team. It was a very difficult battle for me,” said Gray.
It was the first time in two seasons with the Twins that Gray allowed two home runs in the same game.
Jose Urquidy will start the next game for the Astros. He will face Joe Ryan, who will get his first career start in the playoffs.
