How another clutch swing pushes Astros forward

DUBON FOR THE WIN!

Astros Jose Altuve, Mauricio Dubon, Jake Meyers
The Astros beat the Twins, 2-1. Composite Getty Image.

Victor Caratini tied it with a sacrifice fly in the ninth and Mauricio Dubón hit a walk-off single in the 10th on Sunday to help the Astros beat the Minnesota Twins 2-1 to sweep the three-game series.

 

Jake Meyers started at second base in the 10th and scored on Dubón's two-out single to left field.

Astros starter Brandon Walter gave up a run on six hits with nine strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings. Shawn Dubin, Bennett Sousa and Josh Hader (4-0) combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Walter has allowed three earned runs across 17 2/3 innings in three starts this season.

Minnesota’s Brooks Lee led off the third inning with a home run.

Jose Altuve was hit by a pitch to lead off the seventh but Caratini grounded into a 4-6-3 double play before Meyers grounded out.

Cole Sands (3-3) took the loss.

Key moment

Jeremy Peña drew a leadoff walk in the ninth and stole second. Peña moved to third when Altuve singled and then scored on Caratini's sacrifice fly off Jhoan Duran to make it 1-1 and force extra innings.

Key stat

The Astros, who beat the Twins 3-2 on Cam Smith’s walk-off single in the ninth on Saturday, have won five in a row and 16 of their last 22 to take a five-game lead over second-place Seattle in the AL West.

Up next

Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2, 4.91 ERA) takes the mound Monday to open a four-game series with the Athletics, who have not announced a starter. Minnesota is off until Tuesday when David Festa (1-1, 4.76) is scheduled to start against Cincinnati's Andrew Abbott (6-1, 1.87) to open a three-game set.

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The Nationals beat the Astros, 2-1. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

Riley Adams hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning to lift the Washington Nationals to a 2-1 win over the Houston Astros on Monday night.

The game was tied 1-all with two outs in the seventh when Adams connected off Bryan King (3-2) on his 348-foot shot to the seats in right field to put Washington on top.

Christian Walker doubled to lead off the bottom of the inning and Jacob Melton walked. But Yainer Diaz grounded into a double play before Luis García struck out Mauricio Dubón to end the threat.

Konnor Pilkington (2-0) got the last two outs of the sixth for the win and Kyle Finnegan struck out one in the ninth for his 20th save.

The Astros have dropped a season-high five straight games after being swept in a four-game series by the Athletics this weekend. The AL West leaders have dropped 10 of their last 11 home games and managed just one run for a third straight game.

Nationals’ starter Brad Lord retired the first 14 batters before Diaz walked with two outs in the fifth. Dubón followed with a double on a line drive to left field that scored Diaz and put Houston up 1-0.

There were two outs in the sixth when Framber Valdez walked Josh Bell. Nathaniel Lowe’s double to the right field corner scored Bell and tied the game at 1.

Valdez allowed three hits and a run while tying a season high with 12 strikeouts in six innings to become the 10th pitcher in franchise history to reach 1,000 career strikeouts (1,007). Houston’s bullpen struck out seven more as the team tied a season high with 19 strikeouts.

Washington starter Brad Lord yielded one hit and one run in 5 1/3 innings.

Key moment

The home run by Adams.

Key stat

Eleven of Adams’ 22 hits this season have been for extra bases.

Up next

RHP Michael Soroka (3-8, 4.85 ERA) will start for the Nationals when the series continues Tuesday night. The Astros haven’t announced a starter.

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