Twins try to stay hot against visiting Astros
Minnesota’s playoff hopes fizzled out months ago, but that isn’t keeping Paul Molitor’s crew from terrorizing a few of the American League’s top contenders.
Shooting to build on a 5-2 road trip, the Twins host the Astros tonight. Handicappers, however, aren’t quite rushing to hop aboard the bandwagon. Online sports book Bovada.lv lists Minnesota as a +119 underdog here, while Houston symbolizes a 1.5-run favorite. The over/under run total rests at nine.
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Early last week, the Twins gained attention by taking three of four from Central Division-leading Cleveland. They then posted a strong showing vs. Tampa Bay. Trying to school A.J. Hinch’s club will require more of the same timely hitting and solid pitching.
Luckily, Miguel Sano seems eager to continue his recent stretch of excellence. The third baseman blasted two homers in yesterday’s 6-3 triumph at Tropicana Field. Following a rocky April, he boasts 18 bombs and 47 RBIs on the season. Sano should benefit even further from the return of Trevor Plouffe, who’s coming back after a 32-game absence.
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Tyler Duffey would gladly accept a healthy amount of offensive support. Minnesota’s hurler has surrendered at least five runs in each of his past three starts. In 2015, he limited the Astros to six base knocks across 6 1/3 innings.
Hinch responds with Collin McHugh, who’s also been highly combustible of late. The righty holds a 2-3 record with a plus-5.00 ERA since July 3. Houston frequently doesn’t deliver enough punch in his appearances, either, making us partial to the Twins.
MONDAY MLB FREE PICK: TWINS +1.5