MINNEAPOLIS — Pitching and clutch hits can go a long way in October. On Tuesday, the Minnesota Twins didn't get either.
Minnesota stranded nine base runners and starter Sonny Gray couldn't get through the fifth inning as the Houston Astros cruised to a 9-1 win to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series. The Twins host a must-win Game 4 Wednesday.
“It was a difficult day to hit, so them jumping out early was very, very important,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Whichever team did that was going to definitely be in the driver’s seat.”
The Astros pushed four runs across in the first inning, including a three-run homer from José Abreu. The Twins had several opportunities to cut into the lead, including a bases-loaded situation in the fifth inning that ended with a pair of strikeouts.
Minnesota also put a pair of runners on in the first and third innings, but couldn't come through with a run-scoring hit. The Twins sent Carlos Correa and Royce Lewis to the plate in the first inning with runners on second and third, but both struck out to end the inning.
Minnesota went just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Willi Castro delivered the lone success in the sixth to score Correa from second base.
Gray strung together three scoreless innings but ran into trouble once again in the fifth, including a solo home run to start the inning. Gray, who pitched five scoreless innings in the Twins' AL Wild Card series with the Toronto Blue Jays, only allowed eight home runs all season.
“We were fighting an uphill battle as a team. I was fighting an uphill battle every inning,” Gray said.
Abreu added another home run in the top of the ninth inning, a two-run shot to give him a five RBI in the game.
Before Tuesday's game, Baldelli announced Joe Ryan will start Game 4.
QUICK CHANGE
Jose Altuve greeted Gray with a single, and a one-out bouncer down the first-base line eluded Alex Kirilloff’s glove for a two-base error. Kyle Tucker put the Astros on the board with a single. Then Abreu smashed a 2-1 sweeper into the second deck for a 4-0 lead that took some buzz out of the ballpark.
The Twins were blown away by the energy boost that came from their crowd during the Wild Card Series clincher last week against Toronto, after which manager Rocco Baldelli said the fans “took over the game.” Splitting the first two games in Houston gave the Twins home-field advantage, and they sold out Target Field three days in advance.
Johan Santana threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Joe Mauer, two all-time Twins greats who always prompt a roar. Santana took off his jacket to reveal a Pablo López jersey after López, who grew up idolizing his fellow Venezuelan, brought the ball to the mound.
The Astros were hardly going to be fazed by the environment. They went 51-30 on the road, the third-best record in baseball, and have made October games quite a habit since their run started in 2017. Alvarez is 6 for 12 with six RBIs in the series. Bregman hit his 16th career postseason home run.
GOING DEEP
Gray gave up two home runs in a game for the first time in two seasons with the Twins. The last multi-homer game against him was on Sept. 24, 2021, with Cincinnati.
The eighth major league pitcher since 2000 to throw at least 180 innings with eight or fewer homers allowed, Gray was the runaway leader in fewest home runs allowed per nine innings this year (0.391). He gave up eight hits and one walk in four-plus innings, with five runs — one unearned — and six strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Astros were keeping their plans for a Game 4 starting pitcher private, preferring to see how Game 3 unfolded before committing. RHP José Urquidy was the most obvious option. He beat the Twins in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series in 2020.
The Twins will send RHP Joe Ryan to the mound on Wednesday for his first career postseason start. He has allowed 13 earned runs, nine walks and three home runs in 14 innings with 19 strikeouts over three career starts against the Astros.
ALDS GAME 3: Twins vs. Astros at Target Field
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