Berrios gets first win as Twins down Astros

[May 03, 2016]  HOUSTON -- Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor was the first to acknowledge the lopsided pitching matchup on tap Monday night, one featuring a right-hander making his second career start against an award-winning lefty who hadn't taken a home loss over his past 20 outings.

Jose Berrios bucked those staggering odds and recorded his first major league victory, and he was backed by the slugging of Brian Dozier and Byung Ho Park as the Twins claimed the opener of a three-game series with a 6-2 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

Dozier, mired in an 0-for-16 skid, finished 3-for-5 with a double and two runs. Park went 2-for-3 and hit his first career triple to carry the Twins, who won on the road for the second time this season.

Berrios (1-1) allowed a pair of solo home runs while pitching 5 1/3 inning. He struck out eight against five walks and three hits, tossing 96 pitches while recovering from a shaky first few innings in which he scuffled with his control as he tried to establish his arsenal.

"First time I felt 75-80 percent (comfortable)," Berrios said. "This time I was 100 percent more comfortable. I go out there and get my first big league win. That's what I do.

"I went out there and threw the ball and my team won. I'm happy with that. I went out there and we got another win. That's what I did tonight. We won and everyone is happy."

The Astros proved hapless even with ace Dallas Keuchel (2-4) on the mound. Keuchel had his 17-game winning streak at Minute Maid Park snapped, a run that dated back to his final start of 2014.

Keuchel escaped the first and second innings by inducing inning-ending double plays, the latter coming after Preston Tucker supplied the Astros a 1-0 lead with his solo home run to right field. However, after retiring the side in order in the third inning, Keuchel unraveled in the fourth.

Keuchel issued four walks in the fourth, which, combined with singles from Dozier and Eduardo Escobar, produced a three-run rally. Dozier reached on an infield single to shortstop Carlos Correa that ignited the rally, with Dozier initially ruled out before a replay reversed the call.

Miguel Sano and Park walked to load the bases in advance of Escobar, whose single plated Dozier and tied the game. Eddie Rosario pushed the Twins ahead with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Sano before Keuchel walked both John Ryan Murphy and Eduardo Nunez, the latter coming with the bases loaded to score Park and bump the Twins' lead to 3-1.

"I think the more balls he threw, the more patient we got," Molitor said of Keuchel. "Maybe some borderline calls this and that, but that being said, it was a nice job (by our offense). It was a funny rally when you've got guys walking, but you've got to take what you can get, and that was the way to approach that particular inning."

After needing just 37 pitches to work three innings, Keuchel tossed 46 in the fourth. When Park followed singles by Dozier and Sano with a two-run triple to Tal's Hill in center in the fifth, Keuchel was lifted.

"First three innings I was really good, last inning and a half wasn't very good," Keuchel said. "I have to rely on attacking the zone early, establishing the strike zone and making sure guys know I'm on the plate and they can't rely on the umpire to call balls."

He allowed five runs on seven hits and five walks with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 wobbly innings. Keuchel's performance did little to boost a struggling Houston offense that finished 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position.

"Coming off of a nice win (Sunday in Oakland), getting outplayed is disappointing, losing a game is disappointing," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "Kick-starting a homestand this way with a loss is not great."

NOTES: Twins RHP Ervin Santana is scheduled to throw a simulated game of 30-40 pitches Tuesday, and barring any unforeseen setbacks, should return to the club by Saturday to make his fifth start of the season. Santana has been out since April 20 with a lower back strain. ... Astros CF Carlos Gomez began baseball activities, and he should avoid a trip to the disabled list. Gomez missed his third consecutive game with left rib cage soreness, an injury sustained on an outfield dive last Friday night in Oakland. He could return during the Twins series. ... Astros RHP Lance McCullers worked 4 2/3 innings in extended spring training Monday, throwing 62 pitches with a fastball velocity between 92-97 mph. McCullers was encouraged by his outing and is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Fresno on Saturday at El Paso. He has been on the 15-day DL since March 25 with right shoulder soreness.

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