Astros hang on for 6-4 win over Twins to open MLB playoffs second round

LOS ANGELES: Yordan Alvarez hit two home runs and Houston pitcher Justin Verlander delivered another post-season gem on Saturday as the World Series champion Astros beat Minnesota 6-4 to open their Major League Baseball playoff series.

The Astros had struggled at home this season, becoming the first team to win a division with a losing home record since the 2001 Braves.

But their post-season dominance at Minute Maid Park continued, with Verlander tossing six scoreless innings in his 17th career playoff win — two shy of Andy Pettitte for the most in history.

“Obviously there was that narrative that we didn’t play well at home,” Alvarez said in a post-game interview with Fox Sports. “Winning today we were able to change that.”

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five American League second-round series, with game two on Sunday in Houston.

In other series openers on Saturday, The Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 while the Philadelphia Phillies shocked the Braves 3-0 in Atlanta.

The Los Angeles Dodgers hosted Arizona in the night’s final game.

Jose Altuve set the tone in Houston with a leadoff home run, crushing the first pitch he saw from Twins starting pitcher Bailey Ober.

“I think that changes the energy of the team,” said Alvarez, who made it 3-0 with a two-run blast in the third and added a solo home run in the seventh of left-handed relief pitcher Caleb Thielbar.

Minnesota had cut a 5-0 lead to 5-4 in the top of the seventh with back-to-back home runs from Jorge Polanco and Royce Lewis.

“I think (Alvarez is) the best hitter in baseball right now,” Altuve said. “He’s going to hit a lot of homers this post-season, and he’s going to help us win another World Series.”

In Atlanta, the Phillies