Astros vs Twins Recap: Big 4th inning sinks Houston in Minnesota

The Houston Astros traveled to Minnesota to face the Twins on Wednesday, May 20, in a game that mattered for both teams. Houston came into the contest with a 20-31 record, hoping to bounce back after recent struggles. Minnesota, sitting at 23-27, was riding a winning streak and looking to stay hot at home. The Astros' pitching staff is entering a new era after their longtime ace left in free agency. Hunter Brown was supposed to lead the rotation, but he landed on the injured list before this game. Instead, Mike Burrows took the mound for Houston. The Twins countered with Joe Ryan, their steady starter who anchors their rotation. Both teams needed this win badly as they battled through the middle of the season.

The game started quietly, but scoring began in the second inning. Houston struck first when Vázquez singled to center field, driving in Dezenzo from second base. The Astros grabbed a 1-0 lead after that sharp hit that traveled 203 feet at over 100 miles per hour exit velocity. Minnesota answered right back in the bottom of the second inning. Caratini stepped up and launched a massive home run to center field that soared 406 feet into the air. His powerful swing tied the game at 1-1. The two teams stayed locked in a tight battle through the early innings. Both offenses showed they could produce runs, making this a competitive game heading into the middle innings. Fans in Minnesota were on their feet watching every pitch.

The game changed dramatically in the fourth inning when the Twins took complete control. With two outs, Kreidler stepped up to the plate and connected with a fastball traveling 94 miles per hour. His swing was pure, sending the ball soaring 416 feet to left center field for a three-run home run. Both Caratini and Gray scored ahead of him, giving Minnesota a commanding 4-1 lead. Houston managed to score one more run in the second inning, but that wasn't enough to catch up. The Twins held strong defensively and kept the Astros' bats quiet for the rest of the game. When the final out was recorded, Minnesota had secured a 6-1 victory at home. This win improved the Twins to 23-27 and pushed Houston further down at 20-31. The Astros fell to 0-1 on their road trip.