Miranda Bested A Record Previously Held By Three Twins

Jose Miranda was phenomenal again Friday night, setting a club record. Twins pitchers weren’t quite as effective.

Miranda went 4-for-4 to establish a club record with hits in 10 straight plate appearances, but Pablo López and two relievers were hit hard and the Houston Astros survived a late Minnesota rally to defeat the Twins 13-12.

Miranda singled, homered, doubled and singled before he was lifted in the ninth inning for a pinch hitter. His third-inning home run tied the score, and the Twins pulled ahead 4-3 in the fifth on Miranda’s RBI double.

But López allowed three straight singles to start the sixth inning and the bullpen couldn’t hang on to the one-run lead. López surrendered six earned runs in five-plus innings.

Relievers Josh Winder and Kody Funderburk combined to surrender seven runs (six earned) between the seventh and ninth innings.

Miranda bested a record previously held by three Twins: Tony Oliva, Mickey Hatcher and Todd Walker. A streak that began in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s loss to the Detroit Tigers with a leadoff single has raised Miranda’s batting average by 30 points to .324.

Even after Miranda was removed, the Twins weren’t done. They scored seven ninth-inning runs and forced Houston closer Josh Hader into the game. Hader took over with the bases loaded and Houston ahead by five, surrendering a grand slam to Carlos Correa. But Hader struck out Manny Margot to end it.