Pablo López puts on a master class in pitching as Twins even series

We have a series.

Pablo López made sure of that on Sunday.

López produced a second consecutive signature playoff performance, halting the Astros offense while the Twins pulled away to a 6-2 victory at Houston on Sunday night that ties this American League Division Series at one game apiece.

Houston has a day to shake off López's sterling performance, because Sonny Gray is waiting for them, as well as Homer Hanky-wielding fans at Target Field.

López was a step ahead of Houston hitters all night. When they guessed, they guessed wrong. When they were ready for fastballs, López still got swings and misses.

For seven innings, he stymied a Houston offense that makes contact, drives up pitch counts and can be explosive. He threw everything in his toolbox — fastball, sinking fastball, slider, sweeper and changeup for strikes to all quadrants of the zone.

By comparison, Houston lefthander Framber Valdez had trouble throwing his curveball for strikes, and began to back off the pitch after Carlos Correa blasted a run-scoring double off one in the first inning. It made for one less pitch the Twins had to worry about.

"He's been that guy for us all year," catcher Ryan Jeffers said during a television interview moments after the game. "When he can throw any pitch at any count, that makes it real hard to game-plan for him."

López's focus and intensity were noticeable in the fourth inning, he faced the heart of the Astros lineup for the second time. He called Jeffers out to the mound with a 1-1 count against Yordan Alvarez. He proceeded to get Alvarez to foul off a low changeup before striking him out with a high fastball. Alvarez was the first hitter of the inning, but López's fist-pump and shout revealed how important that out was.

Kyle Tucker walked. José Abreu grounded out, with Tucker moving to second. López fed a Michael Brantley a stream of fastballs before offering a sweeper. And Brantley, the former Cleveland star, did what he has done to Twins pitchers throughout his career, poking it to left for a single to leave runners on first and third. Lopez then attacked Chas McCormick, striking him out on three pitches. Another first pump. Another shout.

And Houston knew it had a problem on Sunday.

López's average fastball during the regular season was 94.8 miles per hour. He threw 17 pitches over 96 mph on Sunday, topping out at 97. And carnage ensued. Let that sink in. Only three balls hit off López topped 100 mph. He has thrown more than 200 innings since Opening Day, and still he is throwing harder than ever.

In seven innings, López held the Astros to six hits and one walk while striking out seven. He has an 0.71 ERA in two postseason outings. He's the third Twins pitcher to pitch at least seven shutout innings in a postseason game, joining Johan Santana in Game 1 of the 2004 Division Series and Jack Morris in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series.

Two postseason outings — two reasons why the Twins' trade for López was the most significant of Derek Falvey's and Thad Levine's tenure with the Twins.

His addition pushed Gray and others one spot down in the rotation, the best way to build depth. Luis Arraez fans bemoaned the trade when it was made, and they lost their minds when Arraez batted .400 over most of the first three months of the season. But López's organization, preparation and execution show why the Twins coveted the strike-throwing righthander. His ability to articulate the art of pitching is a bonus.

The Twins can move one game closer to the ALCS on Tuesday. And if the series returns to Houston for Game 5, López is on line to start that game. The Astros would have another Pablo problem facing them in an elimination game. I'm taking López in that rematch.

The Star Tribune did not send the writer of this article to the game. This was written using a broadcast, interviews and other material.