Bregman Homers In 3rd Straight Game As Astros Beat Twins
HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Alex Bregman might be having the best season by any Houston Astros player this year.
Only don't try telling him that.
"I have a lot of room to improve and I'm definitely not satisfied ... I think I need to get a lot better," the All-Star third baseman said.
Bregman homered for the third straight game and Yuli Gurriel also connected as the Astros won their third in a row, 4-1 over the Minnesota Twins on Monday.
Dallas Keuchel (11-10) scattered five hits over six innings and allowed one run, which was unearned, for his second straight win. Brad Peacock allowed a single with two outs in the ninth to load the bases but struck out Jorge Polanco to escape the jam and get his third save.
Minnesota's Kyle Gibson (7-12) yielded four hits and four runs — two earned — with five strikeouts in seven innings for his third straight loss.
There were two outs in the first inning when Bregman knocked his 28th home into the seats in left field to give Houston a 1-0 lead.
Bregman has reached base safely in 31 straight games, which is the longest active streak in the majors. He has 13 hits, including four homers and three doubles, with 10 RBIs in his last eight games combined.
Tyler White singled to start Houston's second before Gurriel reached on an error by Polanco. Brian McCann followed with a single that scored White to push the lead to 2-0.
Evan Gattis then grounded into a double play that allowed Gurriel to score and make it 3-0.
Gurriel made it 4-0 in the fourth inning when he connected off Gibson on a solo shot with one out.
Keuchel had retired seven straight when Mitch Garver singled with one out in the sixth. An error by Carlos Correa, when he overthrew first base, allowed Robbie Grossman to reach before the Twins cut the lead to 4-1 on an RBI single by
Miguel Sano. But Keuchel struck out Jake Cave and Tyler Austin to end the inning and leave the runners stranded.
Gibson settled down after the homer to Gurriel and retired the last 11 batters he faced before Matt Magill took over for the eighth inning.
The Astros are 85-53 and in first place in the American League West division.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Astros: RHP Hector Rondon left the game after deflecting a ball hit by Cave off his right hand in the ninth inning. ... Houston INF Marwin Gonzalez left Monday's game after the first inning because of discomfort in his right oblique. ... RHP Charlie Morton (shoulder discomfort) played catch for the second straight day on Monday and is scheduled to throw a bullpen session in the next couple of days. Manager A.J. Hinch said if that goes well he'll come off the disabled list to start against Boston on Saturday. If he can't go the Astros will start rookie Josh James, who made his major league debut on Saturday.
UP NEXT
Justin Verlander (13-9, 2.78 ERA) will start for Houston when the series continues on Tuesday night. Verlander ranks second in the American League behind teammate Gerrit Cole with 240 strikeouts this season. The Twins have yet to announce who will start for them on Tuesday.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)