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MINNEAPOLIS — The Astros gathered in the clubhouse with their bottles and swim goggles to celebrate another postseason victory. Suddenly, manager Dusty Baker asked Justin Verlander to step forward to lead the celebration.
“I’ll do it in the World Series!” said the experienced driver. “You do it now.”
After an expletive-filled speech that drew laughter and applause from his teammates, Verlander asked that the champagne bottles be removed after a seven-second count, one for each consecutive the team’s appearance in the American League Championship Series.
Cuban José Abreu homered for the third time in two games, a two-run rocket in the fourth inning that carried Houston back to the Championship Series by eliminating the Minnesota Twins with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday in the fourth game of the Division Next.
“We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for our bond and the relationships we have in this locker room, and we hold each other accountable in a positive way,” said Verlander, who returned to Houston in August in a trade Mets from New York. “Obviously this team is built differently. His players are too. When it’s time, we’re going to play our best baseball.”
Mexican José Urquidy gave the Astros, an effective team in the playoffs, another strong start to the postseason, supporting home runs from Royce Lewis in the first inning and from Edouard Julien in the sixth to give the ball to the bullpen.
Dominicans Héctor Neris and Bryan Abreu combined for five strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings. Ryan Pressly — who played more than five years with the Twins before being traded to Houston in 2018 — struck out three men he faced in the ninth inning to earn the save.
Max Kepler pressed on with a full-count fastball to end the game, leaving former Astros star Carlos Correa in the waiting circle.
“Yeah, we know. I’m trying to avoid the nightmare, because I remember when we were with Carlos and when he hit the ball into the seats in right-center field,” Baker said, referring to the home Correa’s run in Minnesota during the 2020 wild card series. But we don’t have to face Carlos and that’s great, it’s a big win.
Correa hit .409 with three doubles and four RBIs in the series.
“I really like that turn. “I know Pressly very well and I know it will be a fun duel,” said Correa. “It didn’t come to me, but it had to be that way.”
Houston will host the Rangers, their Texas rivals, in the first game of the Championship Series, scheduled for Sunday, where Verlander will make his 36th postseason start.
For the Astros, Cubans José Abreu went 2-for-4, with a run scored and two RBI; Yordan Álvarez 4-1, with one out. Venezuelan José Altuve is 4-0. Puerto Rican Martín Maldonado 3-0. Dominican Jeremy Peña 3-0.
For the Twins, Puerto Ricans Willi Castro 3-0; Carlos Correa 3-0. Dominican Jorge Polanco 4-0. Colombian Donovan Solano is 3-0
