Minnesota needed every one of those early runs. The Twins hit four home runs and built a 5-1 advantage through seven innings, then watched Houston nearly erase it all in the ninth before escaping with a 5-4 win at Daikin Park on June 29.
Zebby Matthews was the story for Minnesota. The right-hander worked seven innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits with 7 strikeouts and 1 walk on 89 pitches. He picked up his fourth win against five losses, with a 4.15 ERA. Yoendrys Gomez recorded the save — his ninth — working the final 0.1 innings.
The Twins struck first in the fourth. Royce Lewis homered to left (375 feet) to give Minnesota the lead, and Victor Caratini followed with a solo shot to center (426 feet) to make it 2-0. In the sixth, Josh Bell homered to right center (413 feet) with Lee aboard, a two-run blast that pushed the lead to 4-1. Kody Clemens grounded out in the seventh, scoring Keaschall to extend the advantage to 5-1.
Houston's Peter Lambert absorbed the loss, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits over 5.2 innings with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks. He falls to 6-5 with a 3.51 ERA. The Astros threatened to make it interesting in the ninth — Taylor Trammell homered to right (412 feet), scoring Paredes, to cut the deficit to two. Cam Smith then hit his second home run of the game, a solo shot to left center (429 feet), pulling Houston within one. But Gomez retired the side to preserve the win. Smith finished 2-for-4 with 2 home runs and 2 RBI on the night.
Minnesota won for the first time after a loss, improving to 40-45. Houston, despite the late push, dropped to 42-44 after winning its previous two.