Twins vs. Astros score, highlights: Three takeaways as Yordan Alvarez, José Abreu power Houston to ALDS lead

The Houston Astros are in control of their ALDS matchup against the Minnesota Twins. The Astros hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series after cruising to a 9-1 victory in Tuesday’s Game 3. Houston scored four runs off Minnesota starter Sonny Gray in the first inning and never looked back.

José Abreu hit a three-run homer off Gray in that first inning and tacked on another homer in the ninth. Yordan Alvarez continued his scalding-hot ALDS, while Cristian Javier put up more zeroes in his first playoff start since he was part of a combined no-hitter in last year’s World Series. 

Game 4 is back at Target Field on Wednesday, and the Twins will be trying to keep their season alive. The Astros, meanwhile, are one win away from reaching the ALCS for the seventh year in a row.

Now, for three takeaways from the Astros’ Game 3 win.

1. Javier set Houston up for a crucial win

While Cristian Javier’s Game 3 start lasted just five innings, they were five scoreless and at times dominant innings. En route to handing a shutout to the bullpen, Javier allowed only one hit and struck out nine. He walked five, which led to trouble, but Javier was able to work out of it. Against him, the Twins went 0 for 7 with RISP and left seven runners on base. 

Javier was at his most clutch in the fifth inning, when the Twins loaded the bases with one out, and that third walk of the frame to Jorge Polanco was a controversial one. On what was ruled ball four, Polanco appeared to tip the pitch into the mitt of catcher Martin Maldonado, which should’ve been a strikeout and the second out of the inning. Instead, plate ump Bill Miller didn’t register the tip, and Polanco was permitted first base. Here’s a look: 

Unfortunately for Houston, such plays are not reviewable. 

Rather than allow matters to cascade and allow the Twins back in the game, Javier carved up Max Kepler and Royce Lewis to end the threat: 

Javier’s slider was working in peak form all day, as 12 of his 18 whiffs came on that offering. Overall, it was a much-needed effort from a Houston pitcher who’s struggled with consistency this season. It also added up to a bit of postseason history for Javier: 

2. The Astros’ hitters are road warriors

Houston this season was much better on the road than at home. The team’s record was below .500 at Minute Maid Park but a robust 51-30 away from Houston. In related matters, the Houston offense was significantly better on the road this season. We shouldn’t read too much into single-season home-road splits, even at the team level, but let’s use it as a means to shout-out the work the Astros’ lineup did on Tuesday. 

Against Sonny Gray, one of the best starting pitchers in baseball this season, and battling the wholly accommodating shadows of Target Field, the Astros pushed across nine runs, tallied 14 hits, and registered 19 hard-hit balls. José Abreu (twice), Alex Bregman, and Yordan Alvarez each homered, and the lava-hot Alvarez also had a pair of doubles. 

Especially considering the context – Gray and those shadows – it was a highly impressive performance by the Astro bats. 

3. Houston is in charge… for now

The Astros are up 2-1, which means they need to win one more game before the Twins win two. If they do that, then Houston will be ALCS-bound for a seventh-straight year (!). They’ll also be one step closer to being MLB’s first repeat World Series champs since the 1999-2000 Yankees. 

They’d do well to take care of business in Game 4 on Wednesday. Joe Ryan will start for the Twins, and suffice it to say the Astros have much better odds against him than they will against a fully rested Pablo López in a deciding Game 5 back in Houston.