Pablo Lopez keeps Astros in check, helps Twins even series

Field Level Media|published: Sun 8th October, 23:31 2023

Oct 8, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez (49) throws a pitch against the Houston Astros in the first inning for game two of the ALDS for the 2023 MLB playoffs at Minute Maid Park. credits: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

HOUSTON — Pablo Lopez tossed seven shutout innings while Carlos Correa moved into a tie for third place in career postseason RBIs as the Minnesota Twins evened this best-of-five American League Division Series with a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros in Game 2 on Sunday.

Lopez (2-0), making his third career postseason start and second this postseason, was brilliant in helping Minnesota square the series at a game apiece with Game 3 set for Tuesday at Target Field. He allowed six hits, including five singles, and one walk while recording seven strikeouts.

The Astros went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position against Lopez. Only one baserunner reached third with Lopez on the mound: Kyle Tucker advanced from second base on a Michael Brantley two-out single to left field in the fourth inning but was stranded there when Lopez struck out Chas McCormick.

Lopez retired the Astros in order in the second and sixth innings and induced a 5-4-3 double play from Martin Maldonado that erased Jeremy Pena after he stroked a leadoff single in the third. Lopez recorded 12 swings and misses, five on his changeup and three with both his four-seam fastball and sinker.

Correa, selected first overall by Houston in the 2012 draft, burnished his postseason legacy against his former club. His RBI double with two outs in the first drove in Jorge Polanco and provided the Twins a 1-0 lead. Correa chased Astros left-hander Framber Valdez with a two-run single in the fifth that scored Michael A. Taylor and Donovan Solano and built the lead to 5-0.

Correa finished 3-for-4 with a walk, two doubles and three RBIs, surpassing Derek Jeter and David Ortiz and matching David Justice with 63 career postseason RBIs.

Valdez (0-1), who surrendered a two-run home run to Kyle Farmer in the second, allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. Yordan Alvarez hit his third home run of the series in the eighth, a two-run shot off Brock Stewart, but the Astros saw their 12-game ALDS winning streak at Minute Maid Park come to an end.

—MK Bower, Field Level Media

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