Verlander Tosses Six No-Hit Innings; Houston Astros Rout Minnesota Twins in Correa's Return

For the first time since Game 6 of the 2021 World Series, Carlos Correa returned to Minute Maid Park to play shortstop, but this time, it wasn't in a Houston Astros uniform.

Lance McCullers Jr. and manager Dusty Baker granted Correa his American League champions ring prior to Tuesday's contest. Correa — who spent his whole career with Houston before signing with the Minnesota Twins this offseason — was the biggest storyline as the Astros welcomed him back.

And before his first at-bat, Martín Maldonado stepped in front of home plate to allow fans to give Correa a long standing ovation as the shortstop tipped his helmet to the crowd.

But Correa wasn't the only player catching headlines. Continuing his push for American League Cy Young, Justin Verlander twirled six no-hit innings on 91 pitches with one base runner reaching on a drop-third strike in the second frame.

Nonetheless, Verlander waved 10 batters Tuesday, claiming 13th all-time in strikeouts from New York Mets' Max Scherzer with 3,161. While seen in good sprits, the future Hall of Famer passed the ball along to Ryne Stanek for the seventh inning.

To break up the no-hitter was no other than Correa. The Minnesota shortstop lined the Twins' first hit of the night up the middle in the seventh frame. But the Twins didn't flirt with run production until the eighth and ninth innings.

Will Smith surrendered back-to-back knocks to put a runner in scoring position before he found his first out. Héctor Neris relieved Smith from there, ending the frame on a double play.

Neris was tasked for the ninth where he found just two outs but allowed two runners to pass. José Miranda singled home Luis Arráez, and Max Kepler drove home Jorge Polanco to cut the deficit.

That was all Baker needed to see from Neris, going to Bryan Abreu for the last out. After walking Gio Urshela to load the bases, Abreu punched out Jake Cave on three pitches to close the contest.

Ryan Pressly was unavailable Tuesday with a stiff neck, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

At the plate, Houston pounced on former Astros pitcher Aaron Sanchez early. Mauricio Dubón singled home Alex Bregman in the second inning with two outs, following Bregman and Jeremy Peña singles.

Trey Mancini drove home the club's second run in the fourth, doubling in Kyle Tucker, and Bregman continued his monstrous August with a two-run home run in the seventh inning to bring home José Altuve.

But in fifth inning, Altuve was clipped by a Sanchez sinker that ran in on a 1-1 count. The second baseman exchanged words with his former teammate before the benches emptied.

Nothing escalated into a brawl nor player ejections as Correa seemed to be the peace maker between the two. Altuve isn't known to show that emotion in a hit-by-pitch situation, but it did end in manager Rocco Baldelli being rung.

The umpiring crew charged the Twins with a mound visit during the on-field delay, leaving Minnesota without another visit in the inning. After walking Yuli Gurriel on four pitches, Sanchez was approached by pitching coach Pete Maki before the umpires directed the Twins to make a pitching change. Baldelli was tossed from the contest shortly after, arguing his way out of the game with the umpiring crew.

Yordan Álvarez played his first professional game of his career in front of his parents and brother Tuesday night. He ended his showing with a 1-for-4 day with a third-inning single.

The Astros look for a series win starting at 7:10 p.m CST. Wednesday. Framber Valdez will toe the rubber with right-hander Dylan Bundy.

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