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. 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. Carnell Lake Steelers Jersey . A strong fastball. A big, bending curveball that can buckle hitters at the knees. Against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, Elias put the entire package together against one of the leagues strongest lineups. Jack Ham Youth Jersey . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. http://www.steelerspronfl.com/Youth-Jack...t-Elite-Jersey/. The Jays responded to the three-spot Detroit placed on Casey Janssen the evening before with an attack on the Tigers Achilles Heel, its bullpen, tying the game in the ninth and winning the game in the 10th. The result absolved Marcus Stroman, brilliant once again, of a tough luck loss while at the same time robbing Max Scherzer, brilliant once again, of a deserved win. Mike Wagner Youth Jersey .com) - Jahlil Okafor had 21 points, Tyus Jones scored 16 with 10 assists and No. Antonio Brown Steelers Jersey .K. Subban and Matt Duchene will be the two skaters sitting out the teams opening game.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Kerry, So the Canucks are on the wrong side of a seven-minute power play (again) and this time, it was a 5-on-3 power play for the Ducks! In all my years of watching hockey, I have never seen a 5-on-3 power play for that length of time. Ive tried my best at looking at the play and I came up with a ruling of how I would have called it, would you agree with my assessment? Tom Sestito hits Mathieu Perreault before the whistle blows - watch closely and you can see Sestito hit Perreault before the whistle blows. Tim Jackman comes in with his stick high which is met with high sticks from a few other players. Sestito then drops the gloves and drags Jackman down. During this, Sami Vatanen comes in from the blue line and puts Jannik Hansen in a headlock. The linesman comes in and while Jackman is down on the ice, Sestito throws a couple more punches. Meanwhile, Hansen is trying to break free and drops his gloves thinking that hes with a willing combatant. But Vatanen keeps his gloves on and Hansen stops once hes separated. For this, I would define Jackmans actions after Sestito dropped Perreault as the beginning of the incident. As such, I dont think that an instigator should have been awarded here. To get them both out of the game, I would have given each five for fighting and a ten-minute misconduct. For Hansen, I would have given him either a double minor for roughing or a five for fighting and a ten minute misconduct. However, Vatanen coming in from the blue line and putting Hansen in a headlock deserved a two minute minor for roughing. This would have left the Ducks with a power play, but not a seven-minute 5-on-3! As always, I would love to get your opinion as its rare to hear a referee explain their calls in any sport. Would you like to see referees respond to questions from the media in the future? Gareth EvansRichmond, BC ----- Gareth, I like your assessment better than the seven minute 5-on-3 for a couple of reasons. 1) As you correctly pointed out there was some initial response from two Duck players (Tim Jackman and Sami Vatanen) that was not recognized in the penalty assessment. 2) The secondd issue I have is that with 7:11 remaining in a blow-out Duck win, any subsequent infraction that a Vancouver player might receive would be treated as a "delayed penalty" if it was assessed prior to the expiration of the major penalties incurred by Tom Sestito and Jannik Hansen.dddddddddddd This scenario provides little deterrent for Vancouver players to restrain themselves from taking penalties. Also, the more goals the Ducks might score during the extended two-man advantage would only intensify the frustration that Vancouver players were already feeling. My objective in this situation would certainly be to remove the troublemakers from both sides to eliminate future confrontations or a potential gong-show. I would also want to manage players negative emotions if at all possible. As such, I would be very cognisant of not piling on, or further embarrassing the Canucks in a similar way that Temmu Selanne demonstrated class by not celebrating his second power play goal of the night to make the score 8-1. Selanne seemed almost reluctant to shoot the puck on the 5-on-3 at times. The shot he ultimately scored - his second power play goal of the night - was not one of his best efforts but it still found its way past Joacim Eriksson. Some game management - when the situation calls for it - is intelligent officiating! My penalty assessment on the play goes like this Gareth: Vancouver Tom Sestito - 2 minutes rough (on Perreault) - 2 minutes high sticking (on Jackman) - 5 minutes fighting (on Jackman)- 10 minutes misc. (continuation of a fight/resisting) Jannik Hansen - 2 minutes roughing - 5 minutes fighting- 10 minutes misconduct (continuation of a fight) Anaheim Tim Jackman - 2 minutes high stick sticking (on Sestito)- 5 minutes fighting (on Sestito) Sami Vatanen - 4 minutes roughing The end result is that Vancouver would play one man short for five minutes since the minor penalties would cancel out and Tim Jackmans fighting major would cancel with either Hansens or Sestitos. Either way, coach John Tortorella would place a man in the box prior to the expiration of the major penalty. ' ' '