The Minnesota Twins are 0-1 against the Houston Astros after falling to defeat in Texas despite a late fightback.
Two home runs from Yordan Alvarez, scoring four runs, proved the difference as the Astros triumphed 6-4 at Minute Maid Park.
The Twins were unable to take advantage of a shaky start from Justin Verlander, stranding a number of runners on base with the ace struggling early, but hit back as soon as he was removed after six innings.
It ultimately wasn’t enough, with the Astros drawing first blood in the five-game series ahead of Game 2 in Houston on Sunday.
The Twins were behind from the first pitch of the Astros’ first inning, which saw Jose Altuve homer off of Bailey Ober.
YOU KNOW IT'S OCTOBER IN HOUSTON WHEN JOSE ALTUVE IS BACK TO HITTING JACKS!
1-0 Astros! pic.twitter.com/IijOZlUJ48
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 7, 2023
Ober, who had been preferred to Joe Ryan and Kenta Maeda to start Game 1, then gave up a double to Kyle Tucker, but escaped the first innings without further score.
Verlander continued to struggle in the 2nd, giving up hits to Carlos Correa and Ryan Jeffers, only to be given an easy way out when Michael A. Taylor grounded into a double play.
Once again the Twins got a good start with a leadoff double from Edouard Julien in the top of the third, only for Polanco, Royce Lewis and Kepler unable to take advantage, with Julien guilty of getting idiotically tagged out on a Lewis grounder from second.
They were made to pay big time when Yordan Alvarez took Ober deep, scoring Alex Bregman to put the Astros 3-0 ahead.
That was enough for Ober, selected over Joe Ryan for the start, with Kenta Maeda brought in as relief in the fourth inning.
After getting out of a jam in the fourth, Maeda found himself in trouble in the fifth, giving up RBI singles to Jose Abreu and Chas McCormick respectively.
Hector Neris took over from Verlander in the top of the 7th and the Twins quickly found themselves in a promising position, with Matt Wallner hit by a pitch before Ryan Jeffers singled. Willi Castro and Julien struck out before Polanco launched a three-run bomb to right, getting the Twins right back into the game.
Lewis immediately followed up with a homer to left field, drawing the Twins within one and silencing the home crowd. That was Lewis’ third playoff home run, the joint second most of any Twin in a single postseason, behind only Kirby Puckett in 1991.
Jorge Polanco gets the @Twins right back into it! pic.twitter.com/Nq9YCk7CWk
— MLB (@MLB) October 7, 2023
Kepler then hit a double, but the Twins were unable to add to their score as Kirilloff struck out.
The Twins had Chris Paddack in but pulled him after the first out of the bottom of the 7th and brought in Caleb Thielbar, who promptly gave up his first home run of the season to Alvarez.
Correa led off with a double off Bryan Abreu in the top of the 8th, and he then advanced to third on a wild pitch. But Wallner and Jeffers struck out before Castro grounded out, as another huge chance went begging.
The Twins are 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and they've stranded eight on base. They're down to their final three outs in Game 1, trailing 6-4.
— Bobby Nightengale (@nightengalejr) October 7, 2023
Former Twin Ryan Pressly was called in for the save, and the visitors were unable to add to their score, giving the Astros a 1-0 advantage in the series.
The Twins and Astros meet for Game 2 at 7:05 p.m. on Sunday evening. Pablo Lopez will pitch for the Twins against Framber Valdez.
