MINNEAPOLIS _ If anything, Justin Verlander was even better on Monday at Target Field than he was last week in Houston. But so was Jake Odorizzi.
Verlander followed up his three-hit, one-run masterpiece of last Wednesday by allowing just two hits over six innings in the rematch. In each game, one of the Twins' hits was a solo home run by an infielder _ a blow that was meaningless last time, but decisive here. Ehire Adrianza skied a Verlander fastball onto the right-field plaza, Odorizzi held the Astros scoreless over seven innings, and the Twins pulled out a tense, taut 1-0 victory.
After a weekend of hitting howitzer shots into the upper deck against the Orioles, the Twins proved that they're built to win when runs are scarce, too. Their record-breaking home run spree has gotten far more attention, but Odorizzi became the fourth straight Twins starter to provide a quality start.
But that understates Odorizzi's gem. He outpitched a future Hall of Fame pitcher, and shut down the American League's top hitting team. Only twice did the Astros manager to put a runner on second base, and in both instances, Odorizzi responded with big pitches. In the first inning, he induced a weak popup from Yuli Gurriel to end the inning, and in the sixth he struck out Carlos Correa and fooled Gurriel with a 3-2 fastball that the hitter didn't even swing at.
Odorizzi got strong relief, too, from Taylor Rogers, who froze Michael Brantley with a 3-2 fastball of his own, and Blake Parker, who earned a save for the second straight game, and his sixth in six chances. Parker was aided by a double play that erased Correa, who led off the ninth inning with a single.
For Odorizzi, it was his third consecutive victory, and his strongest outing since the season's opening weekend, when he allowed one hit to the Indians. He gave up four hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
Verlander missed an opportunity to add to his seven Target Field victories and become the all-time winningest visitor to the ballpark. He'll remain tied with Rick Porcello at seven apiece _ thanks to Adrianza's third-inning blast.
The utility infielder, making only his eighth start of the season, came into the game mired in a slump that has pulled his batting average to .161, which equals his career average against Verlander (1-or-6). But after fouling off a couple of 94-mph fastballs, Adrianza worked the count full, then unloaded on a 96-mph fastball near the top of the strike zone.
It sailed over the seats in right field and landed 400 feet away, on the plaza beyond, Adrianza's first home run of the season, and the Twins' 50th of the season. It seemed out of character for a player with only 12 career home runs in six seasons, but Adrianza has also victimized Clayton Kershaw, Andy Pettitte and Blake Snell over the years.
