Heading into game two of this American League matchup, it will be Joe Ryan on the mound for the Twins (87-75, 47-34 home), facing off against the Astros (90-72, 51-30 away) and José Urquidy. Find out my prediction for today’s Houston Astros vs. Minnesota Twins game in Minneapolis.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS MINNESOTA TWINS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Houston Astros +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Target Field at 7:07 ET on Wednesday, October 11th.

WHY BET THE HOUSTON ASTROS:

  • In their last ten games as the underdog, the Astros have put together a runline record of 8-2.
  • As the road underdog, the Astros’ runline win streak stands at two games.
  • Joe Ryan has given up three away runs across his last two starts.

HOUSTON ASTROS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL WEST

On a record of 90-72, the Astros come into today’s game 2nd in the AL West. When playing at home, they are 39-42 and 51-30 on the road. Houston has played in 52 series thus far, and have gone 28-19-5.

José Urquidy is 3-3 on the season and has an ERA of 5.29 across 16 outings. He has not allowed a home-run in his last three games and opponents have a .434 SLG% and .252 batting average against him. As he takes the mound against the Twins, Urquidy will hope to continue his streak of keeping the long ball off the board.

José Urquidy earned the victory in his latest start, limiting the Diamondbacks to two hits and no earned runs over six innings of work. The Astros’ 2-1 triumph was a result of his stellar performance.

Having gone deep 11 times in their last ten games, the Astros are 8th in that span. At 5.1 runs per game, Houston is 5th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .259 while hitting a total of 222 home runs (6th).

Over the Astros’ past five contests, Yordan Alvarez has been a standout on offense, leading the team with four home runs. He has tallied 31 round-trippers this season and is batting .293.

WILL THE MINNESOTA TWINS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Throughout the season, the Twins have taken advantage of playing at home, posting a series record of 15-8 at Target Field. Their overall record of 87-75 puts Minnesota 1st in the AL Central. Against the runline, their overall record is 85-82 and 40-44 at home. This year’s Twins’ games have an over/under record of 84-76.

Joe Ryan will take the mound for Minnesota with an 11-10 record. He has made 29 appearances this season, and his ERA is 4.51 with a K/9 of 10.97. The right-hander also boasts a FIP of 4.13 and an OBP of .286.

Joe Ryan’s last outing against the Rockies saw him surrender six runs on eight hits over five innings of work. Although he didn’t factor into the decision, Ryan’s performance helped the Twins come away with a 7-6 win.

The Twins have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 16 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 3rd in home runs and 7th in slugging percentage. Overall, Minnesota is averaging 4.8 runs per game (10th).

Jorge Polanco has been a key contributor to the Twins’ offense this season, leading the team with 14 home runs in their last five games. His batting average stands at .255, making him a reliable presence in the lineup.