Minnesota Twins Daily Clips

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

 Santiago stumbles in home debut as Twins fall to Astros. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 1  Twins reliever Ryan Pressly handling increased workload just fine. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 2  Twins' Plouffe returns healthy but without an everyday role. Star Tribune (Neal) p. 3  Three homers can’t Twins in 7-5 loss to Astros. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 4  Twins: Phil Hughes set to resume throwing in 3-4 weeks. Pioneer Press (Berardino) p. 5  Twins show off pop, stall in the clutch. MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 7  Power trio unable to counter Astros' star duo. MLB.com (McTaggart and Bollinger) p. 7  Polanco getting extended look at . MLB.com (Bollinger) p. 9  Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Rosario, plays at the plate, and a red-hot Altuve. 1500 ESPN (Wetmore) p. 9  Twins blast 3 homers but fall in Santiago's home debut. Associated Press p. 11

Santiago stumbles in home debut as Twins fall to Astros

La Velle. Neal lll | Star Tribune | August 10, 2016

Lefthander Hector Santiago is expected to be an upgrade over his predecessor, . But in his debut for the Twins on Tuesday night, Santiago encountered some of the same problems as the man he was traded for on Aug. 1.

Santiago fumbled away a two-run lead in the sixth inning and Houston beat the Twins 7-5, only the Astros’ third victory of the month.

The Twins did score a run in the ninth, and Joe Mauer drew a two-out walk to bring the tying run to the plate. But new Houston closer struck out Max Kepler to end the game.

Santiago fell to 10-6 and is 0-2 in his two starts with the Twins after winning all six of his July starts while with the Angels. Plenty of would take 10 victories at this point. Santiago’s résumé includes problems with walking batters, high pitch counts early in games and lots of long balls — batters have hit 23 homers off him.

And Twins fans definitely saw all sides of Santiago. He gave up four earned runs over 5⅓ innings on five hits and two walks with five , throwing 83 pitches. Santiago threw 99 pitches in five innings Thursday at Cleveland in his first start for the Twins, and he worked between starts to clean some things up.

“The [previous] four days we have been trying something a little different, just trying to be in the zone a little bit more,” he said. “The end result wasn’t what we wanted, but you could see the difference in pitch counts.”

Houston took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and it could have been worse. hit a one-out double but was thrown out at home by center fielder trying to score on Jose Altuve’s single. But followed with a to left.

Santiago went to 3-2 counts five times over the next four innings but reached the sixth without any more damage, and he was rewarded with a lead.

Miguel Sano smashed Mike Fiers’ first pitch of the second for a home run to make it 2-1. Three innings later, Robbie Grossman, who broke in with the Astros in 2013 and played 190 games with them over three seasons, hit a two-run homer, and that was promptly followed by Brian Dozier’s solo shot for a 4-2 Twins lead. It was the 10th time the Twins have hit back-to-back home runs this season.

Santiago had a two-run lead heading into the sixth and proceeded to do what Nolasco frequently did — hand it back.

The first three batters of the sixth reached base, with two scoring on Correa’s single off the wall in right. The second run was unearned, as Kepler dropped the ball while trying to get a throw off. A third run scored on a groundout, and Houston led 5-4. That was all for Santiago, who threw 83 pitches over 5⅓ innings.

“They just kept coming,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said, “and put together a rally with a leadoff hit in the sixth.”

In two starts with the Twins, Santiago has given up eight earned runs over 10⅓ innings.

The Twins had chances to get back in the game but were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The lone hit came when Jorge Polanco singled in the sixth inning with Trevor Plouffe on second. But Plouffe was thrown out at home by a spot-on throw from Jake Marisnick in center.

“Those are tough to take,” Molitor said, “when you take a lead and can’t finish.”

Twins reliever Ryan Pressly handling increased workload just fine

La Velle. Neal lll | Star Tribune | August 10, 2016

Twins manager Paul Molitor has frequently talked about being careful with Ryan Pressly, who in 2015 didn’t pitch after July 6 because of a lat strain. But Molitor ends up turning to Pressly when he needs a clean inning late in games.

Molitor has tried to avoid using Pressly in consecutive games, but he has used him that way four times over the past month.

It’s at the point now where Molitor has to admit he has a reliable bullpen workhorse in the 27-year-old righthander, in his fourth season with the Twins after being selected in the 2012 .

Pressly is 6-5 with a 3.53 ERA. Over his past 40 games, he is 5-3 with a 2.66 ERA, one save and nine holds. Opponents are batting .220 off him during that span, with a low .592 on base-plus-slugging percentage.

And Pressly began Tuesday leading the with 55 appearances. He is on pace to pitch in 79 games, which easily would be a career high and tie him with Matt Guerrier (2009) and current Twins bullpen coach Eddie Guardado (1998) for the fourth-most in club history. If he picks up the pace, Pressly could catch J.C. Romero, who appeared in 81 games in 2002.

Molitor has used Pressly in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and has not been disappointed.

“I still am concerned about his workload,” Molitor said. “That was a fairly major injury that he had to recover from. And he is on pace to appear in 75-80 games. In a good year for a good reliever in that type of role, that would be the high end and near the league leaders. It’s hard not to go to him when he’s had a day off, maybe even a couple of days in certain situations.

“I’m keeping in touch with him as well as Eddie and [pitching coach] Neil Allen about being as intelligent as we can. When I’ve given him a little rest, he has said he’s fine and he wants the ball.”

Pressly spent the rest of last season and the offseason making sure he was healthy. He still remembers standing on a field in January wondering how his arm would respond to throwing 120 feet for the first time since the injury. He threw a pitch and felt nothing wrong, and he has not worried about his health since.

He is averaging a career-high 95.0 miles per hour with his fastball while mixing in a and a sharp that spikes straight down.

“I just want to keep putting good outings together and string good outings together,” Pressly said. “I want to keep earning trust from Mollie. Every time I get the ball, that’s what I want to do.”

Molitor pointed out that he has until the end of the month to be careful about overusing Pressly since rosters will be expanded on Sept. 1, giving him more options from which to choose. 2

Etc.

• Molitor went with the starting infield of Joe Mauer, Brian Dozier, Jorge Polanco and Trevor Plouffe on Tuesday for the second game in a row. Polanco at shortstop is the most interesting development, because Molitor appears willing to let Polanco prove he can stay there. “I just like how he is playing,” Molitor said, “and I think it is wise to keep him in there.” Polanco didn’t play a single game at shortstop at Class AAA Rochester this season.

• All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve returned to the Astros lineup Tuesday after getting Monday off. He had played in 202 consecutive games before Monday, which was the longest streak in the majors. Angels center fielder Mike Trout is now the new iron man of baseball, with 173 consecutive games played, including Tuesday’s.

Twins' Plouffe returns healthy but without an everyday role

La Velle. Neal lll | Star Tribune | August 9, 2016

As Trevor Plouffe pointed out, his medical report this season contains more than the broken rib that landed him on the disabled list last month.

“Anything from my knee acting up to my wrist, my groin,” he said. “I was able to take care of all those things [while on the DL]. Hopefully it carries over.”

Now fully healthy, Plouffe is ready to return to third base and be the everyday force that he wants to be.

Only he can’t.

Plouffe was activated from the disabled list Monday and was back at third base, but he’s not promised that position every day because the Twins want to look at Miguel Sano and Jorge Polanco there, too.

Next month with the Twins isn’t promised to Plouffe, either, because he could be a trade candidate provided that he clears waivers and a team has a need for a steady third baseman with some pop.

And next season certainly isn’t promised to Plouffe, because he’s scheduled to get an arbitration boost from the $7.25 million he’s making this year. With Sano and Polanco around, Plouffe might no longer be a fit.

“To be honest, I really don’t think about stuff like that because you can’t control it,” said the 30-year-old Plouffe, the Twins’ starting third baseman since 2012. “Especially in my situation. I’m just trying to get back on the field and continue what these guys have been doing, We have been swinging the bats real well, winning some games on the road.

“My focus right now is [Monday’s] game. Maybe as I get back in the swing of things I’ll start to think about [the future]. But if it happens, it would be really sad. But you can’t control that.”

There have been a few developments since Plouffe landed on the DL. Sano was moved to third to replace him, and his play has been hair-raising at times as he has committed 12 errors in 28 games. Eduardo Nunez was traded, and Polanco called up to replace him. Since Polanco is out of options next season, the time is now for the Twins to figure out what they have in him.

Even the team’s play has changed while Plouffe recovered, as the Twins were 20-12 in the 32 games he missed. They returned home Monday from a 5-2 road trip that included winning three of four games at AL Central-leading Cleveland.

“It’s been fun watching these guys play over their last road trip,” said Plouffe, who batted .316 with a home run and two RBI during a five-game rehabilitation assignment at Class AAA Rochester. “I want to be a part of that.”

First base and DH are options in addition to his customary spot at third. But the Twins already have Joe Mauer and Kenny Vargas at first.

“I think he knows that some at-bats are going to be curtailed just by how we are going to look at people here down the stretch, the last [51] games,” manager Paul Molitor said. “But he is going to get a chance to play. It might be at first, it might be DH. But we’re going to try to get him at-bat when we can.” 3

Plouffe could give Molitor a bigger headache by coming off the DL swinging a hot bat. Plouffe went 1-for-4 Monday and is batting .252 with seven home runs and 27 RBI in 59 games this season, but Polanco, who was 2-for-4 Monday, has forced Molitor’s hand by batting .378 through his first nine games since being called up.

After falling to meet his standards during a season interrupted by injuries — he missed 13 games earlier in the season because of a right intercostal strain — Plouffe is hungry to contribute. When he gets a chance to.

“We have a bunch of guys playing the same positions, but I think we will be able to do it,” he said. “I think some guys are going to get some days off, including myself. More so than we were before. That’s all up to [Molitor]. I just work here.”

Three homers can’t save Twins in 7-5 loss to Astros

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 9, 2016

On a night when the Twins couldn’t buy a hit with runners in scoring position, they didn’t even score when they finally had someone come through.

Jake Marisnick threw out Trevor Plouffe at the plate to preserve a one-run lead in the sixth inning, and the held on for a 7-5 win on Tuesday night at Target Field.

Combined with the Tampa Bay Rays’ 9-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, the loss dropped the Twins (46-67) back into the American League cellar. The win was just the fourth for the Astros in their past 15 games.

“Too many mistakes as far as executing offensively,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said. “We certainly missed out on opportunities to execute. That was a big part of the game.”

Despite three homers, the Twins finished 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position. They also failed three times to advance runners from second with nobody out.

The Astros banged out five such hits in 14 at-bats, plus George Springer’s sacrifice fly in the ninth.

“There’s a right way to play the game,” Twins left fielder Robbie Grossman said. “Everyone in this room knows how. This is all experience up here, and learning how to hit with runners in scoring position is part of it. This is different than the minor leagues. These (pitchers) have a better plan in how they attack you.”

Jorge Polanco’s one-out single to center was the Twins’ only clutch hit through seven tries, but it proved too sharp to score the slow-footed Plouffe from second after a leadoff walk and a wild pitch. Kurt Suzuki followed with a to end the inning against hard-throwing reliever Michael Feliz.

“Tough call,” Molitor said. “Being aggressive. Not sure if Trevor got caught looking back over his shoulder or not. Just tyring to make a play there. You’re hoping for a misfire but (Marisnick) was right on the button.”

The Twins put two runners on with two down in the seventh, but Brooklyn Park’s Pat Neshek came on to get Miguel Sano on a slider he popped up to second.

“I think Miggy’s learning, little by little, as an example of a guy who sometimes he wants to finish an inning instead of just extend it,” Molitor said. “I think some of these guys, especially young guys, they might get caught up in that from time to time. That’s why we’ve got to keep preaching: Just try to keep the line moving.”

Sano led off the second with a 425-foot blast off Astros right-hander Mike Fiers (8-5). That gave Sano 19 homers on the year, including four in the past five days.

Grossman and Brian Dozier hit consecutive homers in the fifth to put the Twins in front. Grossman’s two-run shot, his first since June 30 to end an 86 at-bat power drought, came against the team that cut him loose after last season.

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For Dozier, his team-high 23rd homer left him five shy of his career-best from last season and two shy of 100 for his career.

That was the 10th time the Twins had hit back-to-back homers, third-highest total in Twins history and their most since 11 instances in 1986.

Recently acquired Hector Santiago (10-6), making his first home start for the Twins, gave up a 423-foot laser to Carlos Correa in the first to fall into quick 2-0 hole. The veteran left-hander then retired 13 of the next 14 batters before running into trouble with a 4-2 lead in the sixth.

After the Astros loaded the bases with nobody out, Correa served a off the wall in right for a game-tying single. With the infield playing back, Marwin Gonzalez followed with a go-ahead groundout to shortstop, ending Santiago’s night after just 83 pitches.

The Astros added an insurance run on Jose Altuve’s two-out, run-scoring single in the seventh. Altuve, pushing his majors-leading batting average to .361 with a 4-for-4 night, delivered the third 0-2 hit of the game for the Astros.

“He’s obviously the best hitter in the game right now,” Santiago said. “He just seems to always find a hole.”

In six career outings (five starts) at Target Field, Santiago has a 7.04 , his worst mark in any American . In 23 innings, he has allowed 39 hits, including five home runs, along with 10 walks.

Twins: Phil Hughes set to resume throwing in 3-4 weeks

Mike Berardino | Pioneer Press | August 9, 2016

Phil Hughes was back in a Twins uniform Tuesday, but there has been no miraculous recovery in the wake of rib-removal surgery a month ago.

Instead, it was the annual team photo that brought the right-hander back to the home clubhouse amid a frustrating season that saw him go 1-7 with a 5.95 earned run average in just 59 innings before landing on the disabled list with a fractured femur above his left knee.

His thoracic outlet syndrome was discovered subsequently, which helped explain the shoulder fatigue he was dealing with this season. Matt Harvey, his counterpart, was texting with him for details before and after his own rib-removal surgery last month.

Kansas City Royals Luke Hochevar also had the same surgery a week ago, but Twins Double-A pitching prospect Tyler Jay tested negative for the condition, which requires the removal of the first rib, which runs parallel to the collar bone.

“It’s like the fad injury of the moment,” Hughes said. “(Harvey) was asking me about what to expect and all this sort of stuff. I said the first couple days you come out it’s pretty bad but then after that I seem to have bounced back pretty well from it.”

His leg now recovered, Hughes hopes to resume throwing in three or four weeks. His throwing program will take him through the end of October, at which point he will “shut things down and treat it like a normal offseason.”

There is no reason, Hughes said, to think he won’t be “beyond ready to go” for Day 1 of .

“That’s at least a good thing,” he said. “That rib is no longer there and that space is completely wide open for all those muscles, veins and tendons to pass through. I should be home free.”

Hughes, 30, was diagnosed with TOS by Edina-based vascular specialist Dr. Howard Saylor. In 2011, while with the , Hughes visited Dr. Robert Thompson in St. Louis after dealing with similar symptoms in his shoulder but TOS was ruled out at that time.

Did the 2011 exam miss something that Hughes may have been dealing with ever since?

“I don’t think they missed it,” Hughes said. “I think it wasn’t an issue then. I ended up having some stuff going on with my shoulder that they thought was causing the issues more than that at the time. I think that was true because I wasn’t having symptoms of this two years ago.”

In 2014, his first season with the Twins, Hughes went 16-10 with a 3.52 ERA and set an all-time record for best strikeout/walk rate.

“It’s something that can come on slowly,” Hughes said. “It was more something that probably came along a little bit last year and didn’t really come to a head until this year, when I was really having some problems with it.” 5

Hughes, who had his tonsils removed as a kid, joked that he was just “getting rid of stuff that I don’t need, I guess.”

KEEPING TRACK

Twins reliever Ryan Pressly entered Tuesday with 55 appearances, most in the American League, but Twins manager Paul Molitor was encouraged by his recent trend toward efficiency.

Since needing 35 pitches to record four outs on July 23 at Fenway Park, the first-time had averaged 15 pitches over his past seven outings.

“There were a lot of outings early in the year where he might have a clean inning but it was 25, 28 pitches,” Molitor said. “It seems like he’s become more efficient.”

Pressly, coming off what Molitor called a “fairly major injury” to his lat muscle in 2015, is just five outings shy of his personal high. That came in 2014 at Triple-A Rochester (35) and with the Twins (25), a year in which he pitched a combined 88 1/3 innings.

Currently on pace for 85 innings, all in the majors, Pressly could threaten that figure this year. For now, Molitor is hopeful Pressly won’t need to be shut down before the season ends.

“When I’ve given him a little rest, it seems to help and he says he’s fine,” Molitor said. “He wants the ball. It’s just hard not to go to him when he’s had a day off.”

MOVEMENT

Mitch Garver, who continues to open eyes with his production from the catcher’s spot, climbed the Twins organizational ladder again Tuesday.

Garver, 25, was promoted to Triple-A Rochester after slugging .419 with 11 home runs and 66 runs batted in for Double-A Chattanooga. A ninth- round pick out of the University of New Mexico in 2013, Garver’s weighted runs created plus ranked 15th in the Southern League, 18 percent above league average.

Also promoted from Double-A was infielder Leonardo Reginatto.

The Red Wings also placed right-hander Marcus Walden on the disabled list with a shoulder strain and released two veterans: outfielder Darin Mastroianni and infielder Buck Britton.

Mastroianni, who turns 31 later this month, spent seven games with the Twins in May and went 0 for 9 before landing on the DL with a pulled side muscle. He had a .327 on-base percentage in 203 plate appearances for Rochester this year.

In parts of four seasons with the Twins, the speedster hit .214 in 282 plate appearances with 25 stolen bases in 29 attempts.

BRIEFLY

The Twins’ GM search probably won’t pick up steam until after the Aug. 17-18 owners meetings in Houston, according to a person that had been briefed on the process. Korn Ferry, the search firm retained by the Twins, continues to gather information on prospective candidates.

Tuesday’s early bunting group included Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, Juan Centeno and Robbie Grossman…. Polanco made his third straight start at shortstop after playing there just once before Sunday. All his starts at Rochester this year were at second or third base.

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Twins show off pop, stall in the clutch

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | August 10, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins have turned up the power since July 1, tied for second in the Majors with 48 homers over their last 35 games.

That power was on display against the Astros on Tuesday night as the Twins launched three blasts against starter Mike Fiers, but it wasn't enough because of a lack of success with runners in scoring position in a 7-5 loss at Target Field. The Twins went 1-for-11 in those situations, leaving seven runners on base. It negated homers from Miguel Sano, Robbie Grossman and Brian Dozier.

"We got the home runs to supply the offense but we certainly missed out on our chances to execute, and I think that was big part of the game," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Not advancing guys from second and third with no outs and getting them in at third. We missed three opportunities in that regard."

The Twins couldn't even score on their lone hit with runners in scoring position, as rookie Jorge Polanco singled in the sixth, but Trevor Plouffe was thrown out at home by center fielder Jake Marisnick while trying to score from second.

"It was a tough call -- just being aggressive," Molitor said. "I'm not sure if Trevor caught got looking over his back shoulder there. Just trying to make a play there. Marisnick obviously closed on the ball and has a strong arm. You're hoping for a misfire, but it was right on the button." The Twins wasted a leadoff double from Kurt Suzuki in the third with Grossman unable to get Suzuki over with nobody out. They also had Plouffe at second with none out in the sixth, only for Eddie Rosario to strike out ahead of Polanco's single.

"It's easier said than done," Molitor said. "Robbie was actually trying to pull a pitch but flied out to left. And Rosie had an opportunity but couldn't put it in play. So I think the guys are aware of it. Sometimes it's just getting more experience in those areas."

Sano was the first to go deep with a solo shot in the second, giving him four homers over his last five games. It's been a welcome sign from Sano, who had homered four times in 28 games before the recent outburst.

Minnesota briefly took the lead with the help of back-to-back homers from Grossman and Dozier in the fifth. Grossman's two-run homer gave the Twins a one-run lead and was his first since June 30. Dozier stayed hot, as he now has six blasts over his last 10 games and leads the team with 23 on the year.

It marked the 10th time the Twins hit back-to-back homers this season, which is the third-most in franchise history and the most since they did it 11 times in 1986.

"Miggy, in his first at-bat, on the first pitch he was ready," Molitor said. "Dozier worked a good at-bat and got a changeup. Grossman, in his second time around, he was one of the few guys to get a high-zone fastball and barrel it. So that was our offense with the three long balls."

Power trio unable to counter Astros' star duo

Brian McTaggart and Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | August 10, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS -- One of the most dynamic middle infields in baseball put on a show with the bats Tuesday night. Astros All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve went 4-for-4 -- his seventh four-hit game this season -- and shortstop Carlos Correa was 2-for-4 with four RBIs as Houston overcame three Twins homers in a 7-5 win at Target Field.

"No matter the situation, you need this kind of game -- go out there, swing the bats, score some runs," Altuve said. "Everybody was right there playing hard, and this is the team we are."

Correa blasted a two-run homer in the first off left-hander Hector Santiago, but the Twins took a 4-2 lead in the fifth on back-to-back homers by former Astro Robbie Grossman and Brian Dozier. A two-run, bases-loaded single by Correa in the sixth tied the game at 4, and Altuve pushed the lead to 6-4 in the seventh with his fourth single.

"It's been fun, man," Correa said of hitting behind Altuve. "I'm not getting [RBIs] because I'm hitting with guys on base, I'm getting ribbies because he's on base 60 percent of the time. He's always on base. He's been a key component, obviously, and the biggest piece of this puzzle. He's been doing a great job." 7

Santiago, a Trade Deadline acquisition who was making his home debut, allowed five runs (four earned) and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, while Astros starter Mike Fiers (8-5) gave up four runs and five hits in five innings for the win.

"I kind of got into a little jam there in the sixth and couldn't get out of it," Santiago said. "I made some good pitches. [George] Springer got jammed and got it down the line. Altuve hit a good pitch off the plate and kept it up the middle. And Correa on a changeup, I thought I beat him, but he's strong and hit it the other way."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Altuve continues road tear: After being held out Monday -- and seeing his 202 consecutive-games-played streak snapped in the process -- Altuve returned to the lineup with four hits. He's reached base in 39 consecutive road games and is hitting .429 on the road this year, including a staggering .493 since May 1.

"He looked refreshed," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "I don't think he ever has too much of a bad day. But he came out with some fresh legs and the normal swing that he has. He's just continuing a remarkable season and doing just about everything you could ask out of a player."

Grossman, Dozier go back-to-back: With the Twins down a run in the fifth, Grossman connected on a two-run shot off his former team for his first home run since June 30. Four pitches later, Dozier launched a 1-2 changeup from Fiers over the left-field fence for his team-leading 23rd homer of the year. It was the third blast of the night for the Twins, as Miguel Sano also connected on a solo shot in the second.

"Miggy, in his first at-bat, on the first pitch he was ready," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "Dozier worked a good at-bat and got a changeup. Grossman, in his second time around, he was one of the few guys to get a high-zone fastball and barrel it. So that was our offense with the three long balls."

Correa an RBI machine: The four RBIs by Correa give him a team-leading 74 for the season, putting him within shot of reaching 100 in his first full season in the big leagues. He ended a 15-game homerless streak with his two-run blast in the first inning en route to his second four-RBI game of the season.

"He's a run-producer," Hinch said. "Obviously, getting into the four-hole and hitting with Altuve in front of him, he's going to have even more opportunities. The key for him is not to be anything other than himself. The standards that he sets for himself are higher than even what people set for him, which are pretty high."

Twins struggle with RISP: Minnesota went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position with the lone hit coming in the sixth inning on a single from rookie Jorge Polanco. But the Twins couldn't score on the play, as Trevor Plouffe was thrown out at home by center fielder Jake Marisnick. "We got the home runs to supply the offense but we certainly missed out on our chances to execute, and I think that was big part of the game," Molitor said. "Not advancing guys from second and third with no outs and getting them in at third. We missed three opportunities in that regard."

QUOTABLE

"He just seems to find a hole. He's the best hitter in the game right now. You try to bear with it and minimize the damage and keep him to a single." -- Santiago, on Altuve

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The Twins have hit back-to-back homers 10 times this season, which ranks as the third-most in franchise history and their most since they did it 11 times in 1986.

WHAT'S NEXT

Astros: Left-hander Dallas Keuchel, who's coming off his best performance of the season, will start Wednesday's 7:10 p.m. CT game at Target Field. He shut out the Rangers on three hits Friday and has gone 4-2 with a 3.13 ERA in his last eight starts.

Twins: Right-hander Ervin Santana (5-9, 3.62 ERA) is set to start for the Twins in the third game of this series (7:10 p.m. CT). Santana has been on a roll, posting a 2.05 ERA over his last nine outings.

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Polanco getting extended look at shortstop

Rhett Bollinger | MLB.com | August 10, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins manager Paul Molitor has been impressed by rookie Jorge Polanco and said he will continue to get looks at shortstop going forward with the way he's been swinging the bat.

Polanco, who didn't play any shortstop at Triple-A Rochester this season before getting recalled by the Twins on July 29, made his third straight start at the position on Tuesday against the Astros. Polanco entered the game hitting .378 with three doubles, two triples and a stolen base in nine games since getting the callup for the fourth time this year.

"We're going to try to continue to use the games we have remaining to try to learn as much as we can while trying to compete and trying to win," Molitor said. "Jorge has been playing well. He's had an upper-end week as far as his at-bats and how he's been playing."

Polanco mostly saw time at second base at Triple-A with two appearances at third base. But in the Majors this season, he's started at shortstop (four times), third base (six) and second base (five). Polanco, though, has made 339 Minor League appearances at short, so Molitor said it's not like it's a new position for him.

"It's impressive somewhat, but you have to remember how many games he's played at shortstop," Molitor said. "He takes ground balls there every day. It's different here in terms of the speed, as far as where balls are hit and who is running the bases. Those types of things. That's one of those things we're trying to gauge and see where he's at. See how he slows the game down on the defensive side."

Molitor said the questions about Polanco's ability to stick at shortstop revolve around his range and arm strength. But Molitor said Polanco's arm has gotten stronger since he saw him play at Class A Cedar Rapids in 2013, and that it's now up to Polanco to prove he can handle the position.

"His arm is better now than it was a couple years ago," Molitor said. "Last night, we saw some of those throws he made, and while they weren't particularly long, they needed strength and he was able to finish the plays. So I look forward to when a ball is hit in his direction to see how he's going to react."

Wetmore’s 5 thoughts: Rosario, plays at the plate, and a red-hot Altuve

Derek Wetmore | 1500 ESPN | August 9, 2016

1. A couple plays at the plate had an impact on Tuesday’s outcome.

Eddie Rosario cut down a run at home plate in the 1st inning with a nice throw from center field. Later, in the 6th inning, the situation was a little different but the Astros held the runner rather than testing Rosario’s arm again.

Alex Bregman hit a one-out double for the Astros in the first frame, and Jose Altuve followed with a single up the middle. The Astros waved Bregman home and Rosario charged the ball, fielded it cleanly and made a strong throw to the plate to nail Bregman. Later in the game, Houston had runners at first and second base with nobody out on Altuve’s single to center field, but this time they held the runner. It could be in part due to Rosario’s arm but my guess is they held the runner because they had Hector Santiago on the ropes a little bit with the bases loaded and nobody out for Carlos Correa – not exactly the time you’d like to chance getting thrown out at home plate.

Trevor Plouffe also was thrown out at home in the bottom of the 6th inning on what would have been the game-tying run. Jorge Polanco poked a single up the middle with Plouffe at second base, and Twins third base coach Gene Glynn waved him around. Plouffe, who on Monday returned from a five-week stay on the DL, isn’t the fastest guy in the world, and he was toast at the plate.

Jake Marisnick threw him out at home for the second out of the inning.

Molitor said one of the themes of the game in his mind was the missed opportunities offensively with runners in scoring position and less than two outs, and the 6th inning certainly was an example of that. In fact, Polanco’s single was the only hit of the night for the Twins with a runner in scoring position.

2. Eddie Rosario struck out four times Tuesday – his second golden sombrero of the season. 9

And while I don’t always feel a strikeout is something to be afraid of, Rosario takes things to an extreme. The young outfielder now has 709 career plate appearances and a ghastly 170:21 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 235 plate appearances this season he’s somehow only walked 6 times.

I’m not saying he needs to become Joey Votto and walk all the time to be a good player. I do think Rosario has strong upside as a player when you combine the glove with a hitting ability that allows him to tread water despite a very obvious flaw that from time to time he’ll chase just about anything. (Right now he’s a guy with a .300 on-base percentage, a .450 slugging percentage and a decent glove and accurate arm at a corner outfield spot. That’s not worthless by any means.) But I think to take the next step in his career he’ll have to have a better approach at the plate.

I’ve had multiple people with the Twins tell me in the past that strike zone discipline is the kind of thing that Rosario should be able to improve as he matures as a hitter.

I imagine he’ll get the bulk of playing time in center field now that Byron Buxton has been sent to the minor leagues to work on his own issues at the plate. So now’s a good time for Rosario to show that he can indeed improve.

3. Jose Altuve had four hits in Tuesday’s game.

He’s now reached base in 39 road games in a row, which is impressive on its own, and then gets even more incredible when you see his numbers in those games. Since April 30, the MVP hopeful is hitting a staggering .484 (74-for-153) in road games.

“He’s not very fun to manage against,” Paul Molitor said before Tuesday’s game, “I’ll tell you that.”

Then the Twins manager really started gushing.

“I never see him take a bad at-bat. He’s put together a couple seasons here that have been remarkable…This year he’s elevated himself to an MVP candidate,” Molitor said. “Power’s in the mix, average through the roof, leading the league in hits, he’s a run machine, driving in runs. I think that he’s just one of those guys that really understands his own game; he knows how to look for pitches, he knows how to protect with two strikes, he knows how to use the field, he knows how to beat the shift, I think he sees space on the field and takes his approach accordingly, depending on what the situation calls for. He runs the bases aggressively, intelligently, he creates havoc, disruptive. He’s a big piece of what they’re doing over there.”

“I can’t say I’m glad to see him back in the lineup, but on the other hand you want to play against the best, and he’s one of them,” Molitor said.

Twins starter Hector Santiago had a quick assessment of what Altuve is doing well at the plate: “Everything.”

“I beat him in the second at-bat, jammed him, and he blooped it in for a single, then in the last at-bat I threw it way off the plate away and he hit it right up the middle,” Santiago said. “You literally can’t do anything else.”

Altuve’s on-base streak is still 13 games shy of Jeff Bagwell’s franchise-record 52-game road streak.

4. Hector Santiago earned his second loss in his second start with the Twins after joining the team in the trade that sent Ricky Nolasco to the Angels.

He served up a 2-run home run in the 1st inning (Carlos Correa) but then he pitched 4 scoreless innings and appeared to be a good shape headed into the 6th inning, when the Twins led 4-2. But unfortunately for the lefty and for the Twins, he only got one more out that inning before he was replaced, and three Astros runs crossed the plate on his watch in the inning.

In his first start after the trade deadline, Santiago pitched 5 innings in a 9-2 Twins loss to the . He gave up 4 earned runs on that day and needed 99 pitches to complete his 5 innings. On Tuesday he used 83 pitches to get through 5 1/3 innings. Molitor said he was shorthanded in the bullpen and decided to stick with Santiago into the 6th inning, and it just didn’t work out.

5. On Tuesday we recorded a new episode of the Touch ‘Em All podcast, a podcast about the Twins with an analytical bent.

A few things I would to highlight from this episode:

-We outline the concerning parts of Byron Buxton’s game. But it’s worth remembering that he’s only 22 years old. 10

-A Max Kepler story that I think gives some insight into his confidence and his personality.

-Toward the end of the episode I share my 8 favorite Performance Enhancers

Twins blast 3 homers but fall in Santiago's home debut

Associated Press | August 10, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS -- Jose Altuve had four hits following a brief absence from the lineup, Carlos Correa homered and drove in four runs, and the Houston Astros beat the 7-5 on Tuesday night.

Altuve was given the night off during Monday's series opener, ending the longest active streak in the majors at 202 consecutive games played. He didn't miss a beat one day later, going 4 for 4 with a run and an RBI. His third hit helped spark a three-run sixth inning for the Astros, and his fourth drove in Tony Kemp for a 6-4 lead in the seventh.

The All-Star second baseman has reached base safely in 39 straight road games, the longest current run in the majors.

Correa hit a two-run shot and tied his career high for RBIs. Houston had gone seven games without a home run before he connected four batters in Tuesday. Correa went deep to left field off Twins starter Hector Santiago for an early 2-0 lead.

Astros starter Mike Fiers (8-5) gave up three home runs -- he allowed four total in his previous eight starts -- but benefited from a good night at the plate from his offense. Fiers entered ranked fifth in the American League in run support (6.75 runs per game).

Santiago (10-6) took the loss in his first home game for Minnesota and second start with his new team. Santiago was acquired in a trade with the for right-hander Ricky Nolasco and made his Twins debut in Cleveland.

The Twins hit back-to-back homers off Fiers in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. Robbie Grossman hit a two-run shot to right, and Brian Dozier followed with his 23rd of the year. It was the 10th time this season Minnesota went back-to-back, the third-most in team history.

Houston reliever Ken Giles allowed a run in the ninth but earned his second save in five opportunities this year. Minnesota's lineup finished 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: RHP Luke Gregerson (left oblique strain) will throw an "aggressive" bullpen session on Wednesday, manager A.J. Hinch said. Gregerson could return as early as Friday.

UP NEXT

AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel (7-11, 4.56 ERA) starts Wednesday for Houston in the third game of the series. Keuchel pitched a three-hit shutout his last time out against . Minnesota will send Ervin Santana (5-9, 3.62) to the mound.

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