The game started out with Jose Altuve wasting no time making up for his five-strikeout game on Thursday by hitting a home run off the first pitch, putting the Astros up 1-0 immediately. Altuve has seen Ober twice; both times, home runs.

Ober had a drop in velocity over spring training, and it has yet to increase through these two starts. Through the the second inning he had already thrown 44 pitches, but ended up getting out of a jam after the first two batter reached base, and then he retired the side in order in the third.

Astros pitcher, Spencer Arrighetti, put the Twins away six up, six down in the first two innings. The offense was able to find the ball with the barrel, but they also found gloves. The third inning showed a little promise when Edouard Julien and Christian Vazquez walked, but Carlos Correa’s at-bat ended with a pop-out to first baseman, Christian Walker, stranding them.

Up to that point, Vasquez was 0-11 to the start this season. The fourth inning saw more Astros reach base, but Ober escaped giving up any runs, but also had 84 pitches. In the bottom half, the Twins got on base, at the expense of Byron Buxton taking a pitch to the hand. Buck was visibly uncomfortable but stayed in the game and stole second base. The momentum continued with a walk by Trevor Larnach , and a single line-drive to left field, combined with a bobble from Altuve, scored Buxton standing up, tying up the game 1-1.

The bats continued to heat up. Jose Miranda , who has really struggled, waited patiently worked his way back from an 0-2 count before making contact and getting his first home run of the season (and since July 2024), scoring Larnach and Ty France.

The Twins were up 4-1 and iring up the crowd and dugout as Vasquez, no longer hit-less, smacked a deep ball into left and dug in to get a stand-up double, prompting the Astros pitching change and bringing up Matt Wallner. Wallner hit a line drive to right, hugging the line, scoring Vasquez, with a stand-up (back-to-back) double. Twins 5-1. Everyone would have a chance to come to the plate this inning, with Correa hitting a chopper to pitcher Tyler Scott, who misthrew the ball to first base, allowing Wallner to score. Twins. 6-1.

All it took was a smack on the hand to Buxton for this team to come alive, sending a message: don’t hit our guy. The inning ended the same way it started, with Buxton at the plate, this time a fly ball to center ended his plate appearance.

Pitcher Louis Varland replaced Ober, and the Astros threatened to add to their run total with runners on each corner. But Varland struck out Christian Walker to move the game into the sixth. Varland now has eight strikeouts in five innings with his transition to middle relief, and his fastball reached 99.9 mph today.

The Twins bullpen has certainly done its job to keep the score down and the game in line. Cole Sands came in to relieve Varland with a 1-2-3 inning. Jorge Alcala came in the seventh and looked strong, but quickly loaded up the bases. Pitching coach Pete Maki had to come out and calm his reliever down with Yordan Alvarez at the plate and bases loaded. Alcala responded with a strikeout looking versus Alvarez, and got Walker to fly out to Larnach.

Justin Topa also had a scoreless inning, keeping the Twins locked in at 6-1 heading into the ninth inning, to give Jhoan Duran a chance to close out the game. Duran gave up one hit to Altuve, but shut the rest of the line up down for the first win at home of 2025!

It was the longest game this season thus far for the Twins. They continued to show there are gaps in the starting pitching and long at-bat battles with hitters at some points, but it was a great opportunity to see what the club is capable of, especially after losing the home opener.

What’s Next? 
The Twins finish out their home series against the Houston Astros. Chris Paddack (0-1; 24.30 ERA) taking the bump against Ronel Blanco (0-1; 5.40 ERA) at 1:10PM CST. The club then heads to Kansas City for its second round of divisional games.

Postgame Interviews