MINNEAPOLIS — José Abreu continued to swing a hot bat for Houston, connecting on a two-run home run in the fourth inning to help the Astros end the Minnesota Twins' season with a 3-2 victory Wednesday night at Target Field.
The Twins added a pair of home runs of their own, but it wasn't enough as Houston advances to the American League Championship Series for the seventh consecutive year.
After going hitless in Game 3, Minnesota's Royce Lewis got the offense going in Game 4 with a solo home run in the first inning. The young third baseman drove Astros starter José Urquidy's 2-1 pitch over the left field fence to give Minnesota the early lead. The home run, Lewis' fourth of the playoffs, tied Kirby Puckett's record for most round-trippers by a Twins player in a single postseason.
The lead was short-lived as Houston's Michael Brantley followed with a solo home run of his own in the second inning.
Joe Ryan started on the mound for the Twins, but only pitched the first two innings before handing the ball over to the bullpen. Brock Stewart pitched a scoreless third inning for the Twins before Caleb Thielbar entered the game in the fourth and surrendered the two-run homer to Abreu, who also had two home runs in Game 3.
Edouard Julien helped the Twins cut into the lead with a solo home run in the sixth, but Houston's bullpen kept Minnesota scoreless the rest of the way. Houston starter José Urquidy pitched 5⅔ innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
ALDS Game 4: Twins vs. Astros at Target Field
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