Justin Verlander holds Twins scoreless, Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve energy Astros to 6-4 victory in ALDS opener

MLB

Houston reduction pitcher Hector Neris allowed all 4 of Minnesota’s runs within the seventh inning.

By KRISTIE RIEKEN, Related Press

October 7, 2023

HOUSTON (AP) — Justin Verlander was sporting a New York Mets uniform when the season started.

However on Saturday evening, he was proper again the place he’s been so many occasions earlier than, on the mound for the Houston Astros serving to them to a different playoff win.

Verlander pitched six shutout innings, Yordan Alvarez homered twice and the Astros held on for a 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins of their AL Division Sequence opener.

Jose Altuve hit a leadoff house run and Alvarez had three RBIs because the defending World Sequence champions gained their 2023 playoff debut to earn their tenth straight victory in Recreation 1 of a Division Sequence.

Verlander first joined the Astros in August 2017 and gained his second World Sequence title with the crew final yr. He signed with the Mets within the offseason, then returned to Houston in a July commerce after a really temporary stint within the Large Apple.

“It’s been a whirlwind of a yr, season for me,” Verlander stated. “To seek out myself again right here in Houston and pitching within the playoffs just isn’t one thing I foresaw, however pleased to be right here, pleased to assist contribute, and pleased to be within the playoffs.”

The 40-year-old Verlander allowed 4 hits and walked three with six strikeouts to get his seventeenth win in 35 postseason begins. It was his tenth playoff win with the Astros, probably the most in franchise historical past.

“He gave us all he had like he normally does, and he gave us high quality,” supervisor Dusty Baker stated. “Even when he doesn’t have his nice stuff, he nonetheless manages to get folks out.”

Particularly in opposition to the Twins. Since 2018, Verlander is 6-1 in seven begins versus Minnesota and has a 23-inning scoreless streak.

Former Astros star Carlos Correa had two hits for the Twins, who continued to battle on the plate with runners in scoring place. They went 1 for 12 after going 1 for 10 within the Wild Card Sequence in opposition to Toronto.

“We had loads of site visitors on the market,” supervisor Rocco Baldelli stated. “We’re one good swing and even one well-placed swing away from getting some actual motion going, placing some runs up, and we simply didn’t get that.”

Verlander settled in after a shaky begin and the Astros constructed a 5-0 lead by means of six innings with massive swings from Altuve and Alvarez.

Héctor Neris took over for Verlander to start out the seventh. With two outs, Jorge Polanco hit a hovering three-run homer to proper subject. Two pitches later, rookie Royce Lewis launched his third homer in three playoff video games to make it 5-4.

Within the backside half, lefty Caleb Thielbar entered to face Alvarez with one out. The slugger turned the primary left-handed hitter to homer off Thielbar this season when he smacked an off-speed pitch off the foul pole in proper to provide Houston an insurance coverage run.

“After I go up there, strive not to consider the scenario, strive not to consider the noise,” Alvarez stated in Spanish by means of a translator. “Simply say to myself, ‘I’m the one one that may get the job finished at this second.’”

Thielbar known as Alvarez a “nice hitter.”

“He doesn’t actually have a weak point to both hand,” he stated. “You wish to be the man who is available in and faces him in an enormous spot. It simply wasn’t meant to be immediately.”

Bryan Abreu obtained 4 outs for the Astros, putting out three, and Ryan Pressly fanned two in a scoreless ninth for the save. He struck out Lewis to finish it.

The very best-of-five sequence continues Sunday evening in Houston, with Framber Valdez on the mound for the AL West champion Astros in opposition to Pablo López.

Altuve pounced on Bailey Ober’s first pitch for his first profession leadoff homer within the playoffs.

“It was actually vital,” Altuve stated. “After we rating first we’re a greater crew.”

Alvarez related off Ober on a two-run shot within the third to make it 3-0.

Altuve, who was 0 for 23 to open the playoffs final season, has 24 profession postseason homers, which ranks second in main league historical past to Manny Ramirez (29). Saturday was Altuve’s eighth house run within the first inning of a playoff recreation, probably the most in MLB historical past.

Ober allowed 4 hits and three runs over three innings in his playoff debut for the AL Central champion Twins, who accomplished a two-game sweep of Toronto within the wild-card spherical to win a playoff sequence for the primary time in 21 years.

The Twins had wonderful possibilities early however had been unable to push throughout any runs in opposition to Verlander.

“He’s a Corridor of Fame pitcher for a cause,” Correa stated. “Though he doesn’t have his good things, he is aware of learn how to get folks out. He obtained out of some key spots within the first three innings they usually got here out with the win as a result of he figured it out after which he cruised by means of the final two or three.”

José Abreu’s RBI single made it 4-0 within the fifth. Chas McCormick singled with two outs to ship one other run house.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: Baldelli stated Lewis wasn’t fairly able to play the sphere, because the DH continues to get well from a hamstring harm. Baldelli added that Lewis might return to the sphere sooner or later throughout this sequence.

Astros: Aid pitcher Kendall Graveman was left off the ALDS roster due to discomfort in his proper shoulder. He stated he’s feeling higher and hopes to be accessible if the Astros advance.

HOME RUN LEWIS

Lewis, the primary general decide within the 2017 draft, turned the second participant and first rookie in MLB historical past with at the very least three house runs in his first three profession playoff video games. His three house runs are tied for the second-most in a single postseason in franchise historical past, trailing solely Kirby Puckett, who had 4 in 1991.

“Whether or not it’s postseason or not, to me it’s the identical recreation,” Lewis stated. “Clearly, the stage is brighter and the lights are a bit of brighter however I inform you what, it’s much more enjoyable, too.”

UP NEXT

López (11-8, 3.66 ERA) gained Recreation 1 of the Wild Card Sequence, permitting one run in 5 2/3 innings.

Valdez (12-11, 3.45), who threw a no-hitter in opposition to Cleveland in August, was 2-2 with a 3.86 ERA in his final 5 regular-season begins.