MINNEAPOLIS -- After another strong start by Dallas Keuchel and an impressive home run from George Springer, it was Dexter Fowler who saved the game for the Houston Astros with a diving catch. Nate Collins . Keuchel didnt allow a run over six innings, Springer hit his 11th home run and the Astros held on to beat the Minnesota Twins 5-4 on Friday night. The Twins could have tied the game in the eighth inning if not for Fowlers spectacular, diving grab that robbed Trevor Plouffe of a leadoff extra-base hit. "That play by Dexter Fowler may have been the play of the game," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "Thats a leadoff double, if not a triple, if he ends up diving and not getting the ball." Marwin Gonzalez and Matt Dominguez also homered off Phil Hughes (6-2), who lost for the first time in nine starts. The Astros have won six straight road games and 10 of their last 13 overall. Danny Santana hit his first career home run, a two-run shot in the seventh inning off reliever Tony Sipp as the Twins tried to rally late. After the start of the game was delayed 1 hour, 21 minutes by a storm that never arrived, Keuchel (7-3) struck out six and won for the fifth time in his last six starts. Springer drove a pitch from Hughes that was down and away and off the plate an estimated 402 feet to the opposite field in the sixth to give Houston a 5-0 lead. "That there is what you call power to all fields," Porter said with a big smile on his face. It was Springers first homer in June after he hit 10 in May and was selected the American League rookie of the month. Since May 11, Houston is 16-9 and on track to avoid 100-plus losses for the first time since 2010. Gonzalez pulled back on a drag bunt attempt in the third, then lined the next pitch over the wall in right field to give the Astros a 1-0 lead. Dominguez drove a high fastball from Hughes to straightaway centre in the fourth, hitting it just far enough to get it over the glove of a leaping Aaron Hicks. It was the first time Hughes allowed multiple homers since his first start of the season on April 3. Coming into the game, Hughes had allowed only four home runs all season and just one in his last 48 innings. "Just the mistakes over the plate really," Hughes said. "I didnt have my best fastball tonight and just wasnt making adjustments the way I had before." Chad Qualls pitched around a two-out throwing error by Dominguez in the ninth to earn his seventh save in eight chances. Eduardo Escobar had three hits including an RBI double that made it 5-4 with two outs in the eighth. Escobars double would have tied the game if Fowler didnt sprint over to the left-centre gap and rob Plouffe, sliding a long way on the grass after securing the catch. "When it was hit, I was like, I got to go a long way for that," Fowler said. "So I just put my head down and ran and I picked it up. The only way I could catch it was if I dive for it." Oswaldo Arcia, who homered in his previous two games but didnt start because of a sprained ankle, pinch-hit and flied out on the first pitch from lefty Darin Downs. But it was the Astros defence, including a diving play for the first out in the ninth by second baseman Jose Altuve that saved this one. "They made play after play," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We hit some balls pretty good and they kept making diving plays all over the place, which actually saved the ballgame for them because we put some decent swings out there and had plenty of chances." About 10 minutes before the first pitch, the Target Field grounds crew rolled out the infield tarp in anticipation of a storm that was approaching the area. It never rained during the delay, but light rain did fall in the early innings. NOTES: Leroy "Bud" Miller, a World War II veteran who was part of the landing force at Normandy Beach 70 years ago, raised the American flag before the game. ... Injured Astros SS Jonathan Villar missed his third straight game after getting hit in the right elbow Tuesday. ... Plouffe hit his 22nd double in the fourth inning, tying a career high. ... Minnesota has drafted eight college pitchers in the first 10 rounds of the MLB draft. Eben Britton . "Atlantic is ours," read the shirts, delivered by the league that afternoon. Moments earlier they learned that, for the second time in franchise history, the Raptors will be crowned division champions, also earning home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Domenik Hixon .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. WASHINGTON -- Buffalo Sabres interim head coach Ted Nolan said Sunday the organization was surprised by prospect Mikhail Grigorenkos decision not to report to a junior club in Canada. "We knew obviously players would be disappointed when something like that happened," Nolan said, "but no indication that he wouldnt report." The Sabres assigned the Russian centre to the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Saturday, hoping the 19-year-old former first-round draft pick would get some top-line minutes. Grigorenko has struggled to adapt to the NHL in parts of two seasons, with eight points in 43 career games since he was selected No. 12 overall in 2012. But Grigorenko says he wont go to Quebec. He apologized on Facebook on Saturday, adding: "We just need to find a place for me where I can develop and be the best hockey player I can be." Nolan said he doesnt know what the next step will be for Grigorenko and Sabres team president Patt LaFontaine. Brian Urlacher. "Its one thing that you learn -- what you can control, what you cant control," Nolan said. "Him and Pat will take care of that." The Sabres would prefer that Grigorenko play for their Rochester AHL affiliate, but an agreement between the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League doesnt allow teenagers to play in the AHL. Buffalo tried to send Grigorenko to Rochester on a conditioning assignment in November, but the NHL denied the request. Grigorenko has played well in previous stints in juniors, posting 139 points in two seasons with Quebec, including 30 goals in 33 games last season. "P.K. Subban played four years in Belleville, and he turned out pretty good," Nolan said of the Montreal Canadiens defenceman. "Junior hockeys a good place to develop." Grigorenko recently returned from the world junior championships in Malmo, Sweden, where he led Russia to the bronze medal with eight points in seven games. ' ' '
