Astros offense explodes in rout of Twins

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More times than not this season, the Astros have found themselves trailing after an inning or two and trying to fight back.

On Wednesday, they showed themselves - and 20,847 fans at Minute Maid Park - what it's like to play with a lead. And they showed just how powerful their lineup can be.

The Astros scored in each of the first five innings, got hits from nine different players and homered three times - all three going to the opposite field - in beating the Twins 16-4.

It's the most runs Houston has scored this season and nearly as many as the previous six games combined.

The win was more than just the Astros' 10th on the season.

Houston was the only team in the majors without consecutive victories until Wednesday. The Astros claimed their second series victory in nine tries and put them at 3-1 in May following a 7-17 April.

The offensive explosion was proven by a more-patient approach up and down the lineup. In addition to the opposite-field shots, the Astros worked seven walks.

Six different Astros drove in runs, with Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, who were both a triple shy of the cycle, combining for 6 RBIs. Jason Castro drove in four.

The offensive outburst helped starter Mike Fiers, who failed to get through five innings for the first time in six starts. He gave up nine hits and one walk in 4 2/3 innings, throwing 95 pitches (63 strikes) and striking out four.

The Astros unloaded against the Twins and scored more runs than in any other game this season. The Astros unloaded against the Twins and scored more runs than in any other game this season. Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 126 Caption Close Astros offense explodes in rout of Twins 1 / 126 Back to Gallery

But none of that matters as the Astros led five pitches into their first at-bat.

After Fiers set the Twins down in order, Altuve sent a Phil Hughes 91 mph fastball to right for the opposite-field homer.

The solo shot was Altuve's ninth career leadoff home run and fifth this season, the most in franchise history since Craig Biggio hit six in 2006.

The Hall of Famer has the franchise record by hitting eight leadoff homers in 2001. Altuve reached five in only 28 games and 107 at-bats.

George Springer followed with a walk and came around on a Correa double into the left-field corner. Correa went to third on the throw home and scored on a Colby Rasmus groundout.

The Astros tacked on three more in the second after four of the first five batters reached.

A Springer double scored two while Rasmus snapped an 0-for-12 slump with an RBI single.

Minnesota, after stranded two in the second inning, answered in the third. Fiers gave up a double to Eduardo Nunez and Danny Santana singled. Brian Dozier followed with a high flyball that landed in the Crawford Boxes, cutting the Astros' lead in half.

Fiers gave up another run in the fourth inning before finally running out of gas in the fifth. He exited with two outs and runners at second and first. Josh Fields walked Oswaldo Arcia before escaping the jam with a flyball.

Jason Castro hit a two-run homer - his second in as many days - in the third. After watching his batting average sink to .114, the catcher has a six-game hit streak with two home runs and four walks.

Correa snapped his homer streak in the fourth, hitting an 0-2 Casey Fien fastball into the right-field seats. It was his first home run since the second game of the season, a span of 24 games.

His longest drought last season was 10 games.

The Astros blew it up in the fifth, batting around and scoring five times to push the lead to 14-4. An Evan Gattis pinch-hit single and two walks loaded the bases for Altuve and forced another Twins pitching change. J.R. Graham came in for Fien, who relieved starter Phil Hughes after two innings.

It didn't matter for Altuve, who just missed a grand slam and scored two on a double. Correa and Rasmus added run-scoring hits.

Castro added an RBI double in the eighth.