Twins 5, Astros 4
The Minnesota Twins defeated the Houston Astros 5–4 on Monday night at Daikin Park, holding off a late comeback after back-to-back home runs in the ninth inning.
Royce Lewis, Victor Caratini, and Josh Bell each homered for the Twins, as Cam Smith hit two home runs and Taylor Trammell added a late two-run shot as the Astros fell just short of completing the comeback.
Astros – Twins Game Summary
The Astros and Twins traded scoreless innings early as Peter Lambert and Zebby Matthews kept both offenses quiet through the first three frames. Lambert struck out three hitters early and pitched around traffic. Matthews retired the Astros in order during the opening two innings.
The Twins broke through in the fourth inning with back-to-back home runs. Royce Lewis opened the scoring with a solo blast to left field. Victor Caratini followed with a home run to center, giving the Twins a 2–0 advantage.
The Astros answered in the bottom of the fifth when Cam Smith connected on a solo home run to left field. His 10th homer of the season trimmed the deficit to one run and briefly shifted the momentum.
The Twins quickly responded in the sixth inning. Brooks Lee reached with a single before Josh Bell launched a two-run home run to right-center field, extending the lead to 4–1. They added another insurance run in the seventh. Luke Keaschall walked, moved into scoring position, and scored on Kody Clemens‘ RBI groundout.
The Astros struggled to generate consistent offense against Matthews and the Twins’ pitching staff. Several scoring opportunities ended with strikeouts or double plays. Those missed chances prevented the Astros from mounting a comeback through the middle innings.
Everything changed in the ninth.
Isaac Paredes drew a walk before Taylor Trammell crushed a two-run home run to right field, cutting the deficit to two runs. Moments later, Cam Smith launched his second home run of the night. The blast brought the Astros within one run and energized the crowd at Daikin Park.
The comeback attempt ended there. Joey Loperfido grounded out to second base, leaving the tying run off the bases and allowing the Twins to escape with the victory.
What Went Right for the Astros
Cam Smith
Smith once again gave the Astros their biggest offensive spark.
After hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning to put the Astros on the board, he delivered again in the ninth with another solo blast that brought the club within one run. The rookie finished with two home runs and accounted for half of the Astros’ scoring, continuing his impressive offensive stretch.
Miguel Ullola
The Twins scored five runs, but not because of reliever Miguel Ullola. He kept the game from getting out of reach after the seventh inning. Ullola struck out two during a scoreless eighth inning and repeated the process in the ninth.
Never Stopped Fighting
Even after trailing by four runs entering the ninth inning, the Astros continued to battle.
Paredes drew a one-out walk before Taylor Trammell’s two-run homer suddenly brought life back into the ballpark. Smith immediately followed with another home run, putting the tying run one swing away. Although the comeback came up short, the late rally demonstrated the club’s resilience.
What Went Wrong for the Astros
Twins Power
The biggest difference in the game came from the long ball.
Royce Lewis and Victor Caratini hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fourth inning before Josh Bell added a two-run homer in the sixth. Those three swings accounted for four of the Twins’ five runs and forced the Astros to play from behind for most of the night.
Missed Opportunities
The Astros put runners on base throughout the game but failed to string together enough timely hits. Nick Allen was stranded after a third-inning single, and a promising sixth inning ended when Isaac Paredes grounded into an inning-ending double play. Christian Vázquez also hit into an unassisted double play in the eighth after Nick Allen drew a leadoff walk.
The Middle Innings
After Smith’s solo home run cut the deficit to one run, the Astros missed a chance to shift momentum. Bell’s two-run homer in the sixth and Clemens’ RBI groundout in the seventh allowed the Twins to rebuild their lead.
What’s Next
The Astros continue their series against the Twins Tuesday night at Daikin Park.
Mike Burrows is expected to start for the Astros. The right-hander enters with a 3-8 record, a 5.48 ERA, and 69 strikeouts. The Twins are projected to counter with Joe Ryan, who owns a 5-4 record, a 3.18 ERA, and 108 strikeouts.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Central.
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