Miranda homers and ties the tiebreaker to give the Twins a 4-3 win over Astros

HOUSTON – Jose Miranda hit a solo home run in the sixth inning and a game-clinching RBI double in the eighth, helping the Minnesota Twins beat the Houston Astros 4-3 on Sunday.

“He’s really done so many different things in the lineup for us,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “He’s just playing. He doesn’t get distracted, he doesn’t get carried away by anything. He’s just ready to play baseball and he’s done a good job.

Trevor Larnach also went deep for Minnesota, which won two of three in the weekend series. Steven Okert (2-0) got two outs for the win and Jhoan Duran managed the ninth for his 10th save.

Miranda’s sixth homer of the season – a one-out to left center off Hunter Brown – tied the game at 3.

Larnach scored on a leadoff walk in the eighth against Ryan Pressly (0-3). Pinch runner Manuel Margot moved to second on a Ryan Jeffers sacrifice bunt and scored on Miranda’s grounder down the third-base line.

Larnach gave Minnesota an early lead when he homered on Brown’s fourth pitch of the game. The opener was Larnach’s sixth home run this season.

Alex Bregman and Victor Caratini played deep for Houston, which lost for the fifth time in seven games.

Bregman’s fourth homer in five games – a two-run shot in the third – gave the Astros a 3-2 lead.

Houston had a shot to take the lead in the seventh. José Abreu walked with one out before a Chas McCormick single chased out Jorge Alcalá.

He was replaced by Okert and Bregman singled on a grounder to left with a two-run lead. But the Astros came up empty when Yordan Alvarez flew out.

Brown struck out seven in six innings. He allowed three runs and five hits.

“Hunter did a phenomenal job,” manager Joe Espada said. “He was really good, he gave us a chance to win. We just couldn’t do enough to get this win.

Minnesota’s Simeon Woods Richardson, who grew up in suburban Houston, allowed three hits and three runs with six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed two homers Sunday after allowing just two in his previous eight starts this season.

The right-hander said it was a dream come true to pitch in a ballpark where he watched so many games growing up as an Astros fan. He also said he had too many friends and family at the game to count.

“But once we get on the field, it’s competitive in nature and I can easily push the button,” he said. “It’s one thing to watch, to be a fan, but once you’re competing, it’s a different game.”

TRAINERS ROOM

Twins: 3B Royce Lewis (severe quadriceps strain) is expected to complete a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul on Sunday and is expected to be removed from the injured list Tuesday. Lewis, out since being injured on Opening Day, has been with St. Paul since May 25.

FOLLOWING

Twins: RHP Bailey Ober (5-3, 4.89 ERA) starts Game 1 of a series against the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (3-2, 3.26 ERA) will face St. Louis RHP Kyle Gibson (4-2, 3.60 ERA) in the first of three games with the Cardinals on Monday night.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb