Game highlights: Yordan Alvarez homers twice as Astros beat Twins in Game 1 of ALDS

HOUSTON —

Game updates and highlights

Justin Verlander issued a walk and a single to start the game before getting Royce Lewis to ground into a double play for the first two outs of the game. He then walked Max Kepler before getting Alex Kirilloff to ground out to end the frame.

Jose Altuve led off the game with a first-pitch homer against Bailey Ober, giving the Astros a 1-0 lead.

Kyle Tucker had a double later in the inning but was stranded on second base when Jose Abreu popped out for the third out.

Carlos Correa led off the second inning with a single up the middle. Verlander then got Matt Wallner to line out for the first out of the frame. Ryan Jeffers singled to left but Verlander got Michael A. Taylor to roll into a double play to end the inning.

Michael Brantley grounded out for the first out of the inning and then Chas McCormick flew out to right field. Jeremy Peña singled up the middle but Martín Maldonado flew out to left to end the inning.

Edouard Julien opened the top of the third inning with a double to the left-center gap. Jorge Polanco went down swinging for the first out of the frame, Verlander’s first strikeout of the game. Lewis hit a ground ball to Bregman, who was able to tag out Julien for the second out of the inning. Kepler went down swinging to end the inning.

Altuve flew out to open the inning before Ober hit Bregman in the back. Yordan Alvarez followed with a two-run homer to increase Houston’s lead.

Tucker struck out and Abreu grounded out to end the inning.

Kirilloff popped out for the first out of the inning. Correa hit a soft lineout for the second out and Wallner struck out swinging to end the frame.

Brantley led off the home half of the fourth inning with a single against Kenta Maeda, who replaced Ober. McCormick then hit into a fielder’s choice, moving Brantley into scoring position. Peña went down swinging and Maldonado worked a walk to bring Altuve up to the plate for his third plate appearance. A wild pitch during Altuve’s at-bat moved Brantley and Maldonado to second and third. A groundout ended the inning.

Jeffers flew out on the first pitch for the first out in the fifth before Taylor got hit by a pitch, becoming the Twins’ first baserunner since the third inning. Julien and Polanco struck out to end the inning.

Bregman singled to left to start the home half of the inning and Alvarez followed with a walk. Tucker lined out to third for the first out of the inning and then Abreu dropped an RBI single to left to add another run to the Astros’ lead. Brantley went down looking and McCormick singled in Alvarez but Abreu was caught in a rundown for the final out of the inning.

Lewis flew out for the first inning and Kepler grounded out for the second. Kirilloff worked a walk before Correa went down looking to end the inning. It was Verlander’s sixth strikeout of the game.

Chris Paddack replaced Maeda in the bottom of the sixth inning. Peña flew out to center for the first out of the home half of the sixth. Maldonado followed with a swinging strikeout and Altuve flew out to right to retire the side.

Hector Neris replaced Verlander to start the seventh inning and promptly hit Wallner with his second pitch. Jeffers followed with a bloop single. Willi Castro pinch-hit for Taylor and struck out looking for the first out of the inning. Julien then went down swinging for the second out before Polanco connected on a three-run homer to make it 5-3. Lewis followed with a solo homer to cut Houston’s lead to one run. Bryan Abreu replaced Neris and gave up a check-swing double to Kepler. Kirilloff struck out swinging to end the inning.

Bregman led off the home half of the seventh with a swinging strikeout. Caleb Thielbar replaced Paddack to face Alvarez, who hit his second homer of the game to pad the Astros’ lead. Jose Abreu followed with a walk and got thrown out trying to advance to second base on a wild pitch.

Correa led off the top of the eighth inning against Bryan Abreu and doubled down the left-field line. Wallner followed with a swinging strikeout before Jeffers went down swinging for the second out of the frame. Castro lined out to end the inning.

Emilio Pagan replaced Thielbar in the bottom half of the inning. Brantley worked a walk to start the frame and stole second base during McCormick’s at-bat. McCormick then lined out to second for the first out of the inning. Peña popped out for the second out of the inning and Maldonado flew out to right to end the inning.

Ryan Pressly replaced Bryan Abreu in the ninth inning and got Julien to ground out for the first out. Polanco then went down swinging, bringing Lewis to the plate with two outs in the inning. Lewis went down swinging to end the game.

• Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7 at Minute Maid Park. Start time is 3:45 p.m. CT
• Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 8 at Minute Maid Park. Start time is 7:03 p.m. CT
• Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 10 at Target Field in Minnesota. Start time is 3:07 p.m. CT

If more games are needed:

• Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 11 at Target Field in Minnesota. Start time is TBD.
• Game 5 is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 13 at Minute Maid Park. Start time is TBD.

This article will be updated throughout the game and will contain highlights and game updates.

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