Bregman helps Astros rally past Twins, end 3-game skid
Alex Bregman followed a two-run single in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly in the seventh that sparked the host Houston Astros to a 10-4 comeback win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
The Astros snapped a three-game losing skid behind Bregman, designated hitter Tyler White (2-for-2 with a walk and two runs scored), and left-hander Wade Miley, who retired 17 of the final 18 batters he faced following a rocky first inning. Houston trailed 3-0 four batters into the game.
Bregman capped the Astros' three-run fifth inning with a two-out single to left field off Twins right-hander Michael Pineda, driving home White and George Springer (2-for-3 with two walks, two runs and two RBIs) and pushing Houston to a 4-3 lead.
After the Twins pulled even with a two-out rally against Astros reliever Hector Rondon (2-0) in the seventh, Bregman struck again, recovering from an 0-2 hole with a line drive to Twins right fielder Max Kepler that drove home pinch-runner Jake Marisnick. Springer scored one batter later when Michael Brantley roped an RBI single to left.
Miley entered his outing sporting a streak of 20 consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or fewer. The streak appeared in jeopardy after Twins left fielder Eddie Rosario lofted a three-run homer into the first row of seats in left field with one out in the first, a 339-foot chip shot that scored Mitch Garver and Nelson Cruz.
Rosario became the first player in franchise history to record 10 home runs prior to May 1 and just the second Puerto Rican to accomplish that feat, joining Carlos Delgado, who did so in 2001 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Almost immediately Miley settled down, surrendering just one additional baserunner while completing six innings of work. After Jonathan Schoop opened the second with a double, Miley retired the final 15 batters he faced and surrendered just three hits while striking out seven. He walked one batter.
Pineda gave up four runs on eight hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings, striking out four. The Astros tacked on four runs in the eighth, with Jose Altuve belting a three-run homer, his ninth, off reliever Tyler Duffey. Trevor Hildenberger (2-1) gave up the sacrifice fly to Bregman and took the loss for the Twins.
--Field Level Media
