Photo by theeagle.com/Jim Mone
Three runs enough to extend the Astros postseason to the ALDS round of the playoffs after Correa’s home run helped sweep the best of three series 3-1 against the Minnesota Twins in the AL Wild Card series Wednesday at Target Field.
The victory matches Houston against the winner of the Oakland A’s/ Chicago White Sox, who trailed Oakland, 5-0 in the seventh inning, in the ALDS best of five series next Monday at Dodger Stadium.
Shortstop Carlos Correa’s two-out blast to the right-center field seats was his 12th postseason long ball and gave the Astros (31-31) the deciding score, 2-1 in the top of the seventh inning. Losing pitcher Cody Stashak made a mistake by leaving the slider up in the zone.
For the second day straight, the sixth-seeded Astros late-inning heroics watched it come from behind. Kyle Tucker added two key RBI singles.
Jose Urquidy got the start and worked four and 1/3 innings, giving up a run, two hits, and two walks before rookie reliever Cristian Javier got the win, throwing three innings of work and Ryan Pressly pitched the ninth inning.
Twins starting pitcher, Jose Berrios lasted five innings, giving up two hits and allowed two walks.
In-game one, second baseman Luis Arraez error allowed Houston to jam the bases in the top of the ninth when the inning should have ended. Instead, Jose Altuve RBI walk gave Houston the lead, 2-1. Then Michael Brantley delivered a two-RBI single, scoring Correa and Springer to finalize game one, 4-1. Also, Bregman’s threw out Miguel Sano to close a bases-loaded first inning.
Nelson Cruz’s run-scoring double in the bottom of the fourth inning tied the game at 1.
The third-seeded Twins (36-26) struggled at the plate, scoring two runs and collecting seven hits over two days. And frustrations mounted after Tucker’s relay throw to Correa gunned down Arraez at home plate.
Coming into the series, Minnesota lost 17 straight postseason games. In October 2005, the Twins won game one of a playoff series against the Yankees.
Its bullpen topped the discussion. However, the Astros kept its focus and stayed the course, contesting every at-bat and pitch in this season of highs and lows.
The Twins, who won the AL Central, will look to build on this season.
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