HOUSTON (AP) -- Jed Lowrie hit a grand slam in a five-run seventh inning and Dallas Keuchel became the American League's first 17-game winner as the Houston Astros rallied for a 8-5 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday.
The Astros trailed by 1 when Lowrie hit his second career grand slam and his first since 2009 into the second row in right field off Trevor May (8-9) to make it 5-2. May dropped his head when Lowrie connected and shook it as he bounded around the bases and into a celebration at home plate.
 
Lowrie's grand slam helps Astros over Twins 8-5
 
Keuchel (17-6) improved to 13-0 at home this season and set a franchise record with his 14th straight win in Houston dating back to last season. He allowed five hits, three runs and struck out 12 in eight innings.
The bullpen collapse ruined a solid start for Twins starter Tyler Duffey, who was born in Houston and went to Rice. He yielded six hits and two runs with eight strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings.
Brian Dozier, Eduardo Escobar and Aaron Hicks each hit a solo home run for the Twins, who have dropped three of their last four games.
Jake Marisnick padded Houston's lead with a three-run shot in the eighth inning.
The Twins added two runs in the ninth off Chad Qualls before Luke Gregerson got the final out for his 26th save.
The victory salvaged a series win for the AL West-leading Astros, who begin a key 10-game road trip against teams in the division on Monday.
Lowrie is starting to heat up after struggling for a bit after returning on July 30 following a three-month stint on the disabled list after thumb surgery. He was in a 0 for 28 slump before starting a current season-high six-game hitting streak where he has three homers, four doubles and seven RBIs.
Keuchel retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced before Dozier sent the first pitch of the fourth inning into the seats in left field to make it 1-0. The Twins pushed the lead to 2-0 on Escobar's homer with one out in the fifth.
The Astros had a double in the third and hit leadoff doubles in both the fifth and sixth innings, but didn't have more than one hit in an inning until their big seventh.
Carlos Gomez got things going with a single with one out in that inning before a two-out single by Luis Valbuena chased Duffey. He was replaced by May, who walked pinch-hitter Preston Tucker to load the bases. Jose Altuve hit a dribbler to third baseman Trevor Plouffe and narrowly beat the throw to first for an RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1 before Lowrie's slam.
Entering Sunday, May had allowed just one run in 17 relief appearances since July 25, posting a 0.59 ERA with 23 strikeouts.
 

Comments are closed.