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Sports
The Associated Press

Trevor Larnach homers to back up a strong start by Pablo López as Twins beat Astros 6-1

Twins Astros Baseball
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo López throws against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David J. Phillip/AP

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Pablo López pitched seven strong innings and Trevor Larnach hit a two-run homer to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 6-1 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

“He pitched great and he had a pretty good changeup today,” manager Rocco Baldelli said of López. “He attacked with his fastball really well and I think he threw enough good offspeed pitches to get what he was looking for.”

Carlos Santana added a solo home run and Willi Castro tripled to help the Twins to their fourth victory in five games.

López (5-5) allowed six hits and a run with six strikeouts as he tied his longest start of the season. He bounced back after three tough starts during which he gave up a combined 25 hits and 16 runs.

“The last couple of games were a little rough (and) the box score (said) things that you never want to see as a starting pitcher," he said. “But it's just a testament to staying true to the process, not wanting to change too much and simplifying things.”

Alex Bregman went deep in the third inning for his third home run in four games, but the Astros couldn’t do much else on offense in their fourth loss in five games.

Castro’s triple opened the third before Jose Miranda walked. There was one out in the inning when Carlos Correa’s double to right field scored Castro to make it 1-0. Miranda scored on a sacrifice fly by Alex Kirilloff to put Minnesota up 2-0.

Bregman cut the lead to 1 when he sent Lopez’s first pitch of the fourth inning off the foul pole in left field.

Castro walked with no outs in the fifth before Larnach made it 4-1 with his shot to left-center field off Ronel Blanco (5-1) with one out.

Max Kepler was hit by a pitch to start the sixth and moved to third on a double by Ryan Jeffers. Kepler scored on a groundout by Manuel Margot to extend the lead to 5-1.

Santana’s home run off Alex Speas made it 6-1 in the eighth.

Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his season debut, allowed three hits and four runs while walking three in 4 2/3 innings for his first loss.

“He had the stuff to take us deep into the game,” manager Joe Espada said. “It was just one of those nights where their offense did a nice job of executing and staying in the game and getting some hits.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: 3B Royce Lewis (severe quadriceps strain) went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in his fifth rehabilitation start for Triple-A St. Paul on Friday. Baldelli wouldn’t say when he expected him to come off the injured list, but said it wouldn’t be this weekend.

Astros: RHP Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery) threw 20 pitches in a live batting practice session Friday. Garcia will go to Houston’s spring training facility in West Palm Beach, Florida, next week to throw a couple more live batting practice sessions before beginning a minor league rehabilitation assignment.

UP NEXT Houston LHP Framber Valdez (3-3, 4.34 ERA) opposes Joe Ryan (4-3, 2.96) when the series continues Saturday.