 allowed six hits and a season-high six runs in two innings, his shortest start since also lasting two innings on Sept. 25, 2013. It was the third straight loss for Hughes and the second consecutive game in which he's given up three runs in the first inning. Houston starter Mike Fiers yielded nine hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings. Scott Feldman (1-2) got the win after throwing two perfect innings. Altuve and Carlos Gomez each hit a two-run double in a five-run fifth inning that made it 14-4. Castro drove in two more with a double in the eighth to tie a career high for RBIs. Minnesota manager Paul Molitor and reliever Ryan Pressly were ejected in the eighth inning after the double by Castro. Altuve's leadoff homer gave Houston a 1-0 lead. Correa, who finished with three hits, added an RBI double and reached third on the throw before scoring on a groundout by Colby Rasmus that made it 3-0. George Springer hit a two-run double with one out in the second and Rasmus snapped an 0-for-13 skid with his run-scoring single with two outs to push the lead to 6-0. The Twins made up half the deficit on one swing when Brian Dozier hit a three-run homer into the seats in left field with no outs in the third. Joe Mauer singled for Minnesota's fourth straight hit, but Fiers settled down after that to retire the next three and limit the damage. Mauer has reached safely in each of his 28 games, the second-longest streak to start a season in Twins history and the longest in the majors this year. Eduardo Nunez doubled in the fourth and scored on a groundout by Danny Santana to make it 8-4. Luis Valbuena singled in the third to snap an 0-for-18 slide on a night when all but one player in Houston's starting lineup got a hit. TRAINER'S ROOMAstros: RHP Lance McCullers (right shoulder soreness) threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session and is expected to make a rehabilitation start Saturday for Triple-A Fresno at El Paso. ... C Max Stassi (left wrist surgery) began a rehab assignment Tuesday with Fresno and is expected to catch McCullers on Saturday. UP NEXTTwins: Ricky Nolasco (1-0, 4.05 ERA) looks to bounce back when he starts the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday after an off day Thursday. Nolasco did not factor into the decision after allowing a season-high five runs with eight hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-5 loss to Detroit in his last start. Astros: Chris Devenski (0-1, 1.45) will make his second major league start when the Astros begin a four-game series with the Mariners on Thursday. Devenski made five relief appearances before making his first start on Saturday against Oakland. He allowed five hits and two runs over five innings in a 2-0 loss.
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Time: 08:10 P.M. EST Venue: Minute Maid Park
Almost a month into their season, the Houston Astros are still looking to win back-to-back games. Perhaps it will finally happen Wednesday night in the decisive series finale against the visiting Minnesota Twins. It seems hard to believe that a Houston club saddled with lofty expectations is the only one in the majors yet to win two games in a row. Then again, the Astros (9-18) rank near the bottom of baseball with a .225 batting average and a 4.82 ERA. They have won just one series, taking two of three from Detroit at home April 15-17. Houston, though, overcame an early two-run hole by scoring three times each in the third and fourth innings of Tuesday's 6-4 victory. George Springer hit his sixth home run and Carlos Gomez doubled twice for the Astros, who scored two more runs than from their previous three combined.'' We've been able to not quit and at least stay in games and come back in some,'' Springer said. ''That's a good sign. Obviously, stuff hasn't been ideal for us, but it's a long year. Slow grind.'' Springer, who homered both Monday and Tuesday, is batting .362 with four home runs and eight RBIs in 12 home games this season. Teammate Mike Fiers (2-1, 4.97 ERA) looks to build on his longest outing of the young season after allowing a two-run homer in the second of seven innings he lasted in Oakland on Friday while not earning a decision in the 7-4 loss." It was big for me," Fiers told MLB's official website of the effort. Pitching for Milwaukee and Houston, the right-hander went 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in three starts against the Twins in 2015. Danny Santana went 0 for 3 with a walk against Fiers last season, but homered for one of his two hits as the Twins (8-19) fell to 2-11 on the road Tuesday.'' We got off to a good start, but we didn't capitalize in that first inning and only got one,'' manager Paul Molitor said. ''We did some good things but missed some chances. We couldn't get back in the game.'' Teammate Brian Dozier is 5 for 8 in the series after going 0 for 16 in the previous four contests. Molitor credits some recent work Dozier put in with hitting coach and former Twins star Tom Brunansky for the turn around." He's done a few things with Bruno the last couple days to create more consistent contact," Molitor said. "He's more confident about it. He's one of those rare guys who can turn around the best fastballs in the game." After opening the season with four consecutive quality starts, Phil Hughes (1-4, 4.45) gave up four runs - three in the first inning - and seven hits over five in Friday's 9-2 loss to Detroit. The right-hander last faced Houston in 2014. Springer's one hit in three at-bats against Hughes left the park. Colby Rasmus also homered for his only hit in 14 at-bats against him. After missing the previous three games with a rib injury, Gomez returned Tuesday. The ex-Twin is batting .365 with eight doubles in his last 13 games against his former team.
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