Jose Miranda ties MLB record with hits in 12 straight at-bats as Twins top Astros 9-3
MINNESOTA — Jose Miranda matched a major league record with hits in 12 straight plate appearances and Byron Buxton and Brooks Lee homered, leading the Minnesota Twins to a 9-3 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday.
Miranda, playing third base, entered the game with the team-record of hits in 10 straight at-bats. The 26-year-old singled in his first two official at-bats Saturday and tied the MLB record set by the Chicago Cubs' Johnny Kling (1902) and matched by Boston's Pinky Higgins (1938) and Detroit's Walt Dropo (1952). His streak ended in the sixth inning on a routine flyout to left field.
Willi Castro added three hits for Minnesota, which raced to a five-run lead in the first two innings and led 7-1 after three.
Joe Ryan (6-5) allowed three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, earning the win after three straight no-decisions.
"We went out there, we had excellent at-bats, Joe set a nice tone and we were able to ride that out," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Jon Singleton hit a two-run homer for the Astros, who lost for just the third time in 16 games.
The Twins jumped all over Hunter Brown (6-6), who had been one of the hottest pitchers in the majors. Over his previous five starts, he allowed just one earned run and struck out 34 in 31 innings pitched.
Brown did manage to complete six innings for the ninth straight outing, but gave up seven runs on a season-high 12 hits.
"I've been punched in the mouth before, and it happened today and it will happen again," Brown said. "Flush it and get out to the next one."
Every Twins starter had at least one hit by the fourth inning. Castro singled in the first, doubled in the second and singled in the third.
Lee's two-run homer in the third inning was the first of his career. The Twins' No. 2 prospect was called up on Wednesday and has seven hits in his first four games.
"It's a moment I'll never forget," Lee said of his home run. "I wasn't trying to get it out of the way or anything, it just happened to leave the yard."
Buxton hit a two-run shot in the seventh to give the Twins some breathing room after Houston had the tying run at the plate in the sixth inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: 2B Jose Altuve (left wrist contusion) was out of the lineup a day after he was hit on the wrist by a pitch. X-rays were negative on Friday and he's still considered day-to-day. … OF Yordon Alvarez was hit by a pitch on his right knee in the sixth inning. He remained in the game, but was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. Through an interpreter, Alvarez said, "I got hit the same spot there a couple of weeks ago, and the inflammation of that one hadn't fully gone away. My knee's in a lot of pain right now, but we'll see how I feel tomorrow."
UP NEXT
The series wraps up on Sunday with RHP Spencer Arrighetti (4-7, 6.13 ERA) of the Astros facing RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (3-1, 3.52) of the Twins. Arrighetti lasted just four innings in his last start, giving up six earned runs while waking four against the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Woods Richardson has given up at least three earned runs in four of his last six starts.