*Photo from Star Tribune*
Houston leads series 1-0
All Jorge Polanco had to do was throw the ball on target to second base and the Minnesota Twins would have a win under their belt. That didn't happen. Polanco threw the ball away, the Houston Astros went on to score 3 runs in the 9th inning, and the Astros beat the Twins by a 4-1 score in game one of the best of three wild card series. The costly mistake by Polanco gave the Twins their 17th straight playoff loss, the most in American Sports.
The Twins got the scoring started in the 3rd inning, when Nelson Cruz hit an RBI double to right field, scoring Max Kepler and making it 1-0 Twins. It stayed that way until the 7th inning, when George Springer hit an RBI single into center field, tying the game at one. It remained tied until the 9th, when, after Polanco's error loaded the bases, Jose Altuve drew a walk, forcing in a run and making it 2-1 Astros. They extended the lead on a Michael Brantley two run single to make it 4-1, which held.
The Astros stumbled into the playoffs as the number 6 seed with a below .500 record, 29-31 on the season. That didn't faze them, as they showed up when they had to. Manager Dusty Baker said after the game that ''These guys know how to battle. They know what it's like, they know how to win, and they take pride in what they do.''
Framber Valdez got the win for the Astros, pitching 5 scoreless innings in relief. Valdez only allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out 5 hitters in his winning effort. Zack Greinke got the start for Houston, going just 4 innings and getting a no decision. Greinke allowed just one run on two hits, walking three and getting just one strikeout.
Sergio Romo took the loss for the Twins, giving up all 3 runs in the 9th inning. Romo said of Altuve's walk to give Houston the lead that ''He laid off a close pitch. It didn't go my way, tough pill to swallow.'' Romo continued on, saying that ''I'm the one to wear any of that. I do feel that I put my teammates in a position they shouldn't have been in."
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli was upset with the loss after the game, but did offer some optimism. Baldelli said that ''We have to kind of wipe what we saw today in some regards. We have to show up tomorrow ready to play, we have a lot of guys in the clubhouse, but I'd say the vast majority of them don't know the Twins' history at all.''
Game two of the series is on Wednesday, where the Astros will look to move on to the ALDS in MLB's California Bubble with a win. Jose Urquidy starts for the Astros. The Twins look to stay alive as Jose Berrios takes the mound.
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