Pirate Galaxy » The Knights have had their struggles thro

MINNEAPOLIS -- After getting his first night off in more than a year, Jose Altuve looked as fresh as ever Tuesday night.The All-Star second baseman, who sat out Monday for the first time since June 15, 2015, went 4 for 4 and scored twice as the Houston Astros topped the Minnesota Twins 7-5.The four-hit game for Altuve matched a career high and raised his batting average to .361 as he puts his name in the AL MVP discussion.Hes the biggest piece of this puzzle, teammate Carlos Correa said.Correa drove in four runs, including a first-inning homer with Altuve on base. That snapped a drought of seven straight games for the Astros without a home run.Altuve was given the night off during Mondays series opener, ending the longest active streak in the majors at 202 consecutive games played. He didnt miss a beat one day later, and his third hit helped spark a three-run sixth for the Astros.The undersized star has reached base safely in 39 straight road games, the longest current run in the majors.He looked refreshed, Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. I dont think he ever has too much of a bad day. He came out with some fresh legs and the normal swing that he has. Hes just continuing a remarkable season and doing just about everything you could ask out of a player.Astros starter Mike Fiers (8-5) gave up three home runs -- he allowed four total in his previous eight starts -- but benefited from a good night at the plate from his offense. Fiers entered ranked fifth in the American League in run support (6.75 runs per game).No matter the situation, you always need this kind of game, Altuve said. Everybody swung the bat today.Hector Santiago (10-6) took the loss in his first home game for Minnesota and second start with his new team. Santiago was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Angels for right-hander Ricky Nolasco and made his Twins debut in Cleveland.Like a lot of other pitchers, Santiago had trouble getting Altuve out.You just try to throw it up there, make a good pitch and hopefully he can hit it at somebody, Santiago said. It just seems that every time he hits the ball, its somewhere where nobody is at.The Twins hit consecutive homers off Fiers in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. Robbie Grossman hit a two-run shot to right, and Brian Dozier followed with his 23rd of the year. It was the 10th time this season Minnesota went back-to-back, the third-most in team history.Houston reliever Ken Giles allowed a run in the ninth but earned his second save in five opportunities this year. Minnesotas lineup finished 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position.ASSISTING FROM THE OUTFIELDHouston outfielders came in tied for the most assists in the majors with 35. The Astros added another, and it came at a crucial time.Center fielder Jake Marisnick threw out Trevor Plouffe at home plate following a single up the middle by Jorge Polanco. Houston catcher Evan Gattis fielded the throw perfectly and tagged Plouffe, preventing what would have been a big run for the Twins.That play kept it a 5-4 Astros lead, and Houston went on to build on that advantage in the next inning. Minnesota also threw out a runner at home plate in the first inning, but the Astros outfield assist was a game-changer.It changes the complexion of the entire game, Hinch said. Jake continues to find ways to contribute in center field. Staying under control, he kept the throw low. Great pick by Gattis, good tag at the plate, and a momentum-shifter that would have changed the game.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: RHP Luke Gregerson (left oblique strain) will throw an aggressive bullpen session on Wednesday, Hinch said. Gregerson could return as early as Friday.UP NEXTAL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel (7-11, 4.56 ERA) starts Wednesday for Houston in the third game of the series. Keuchel pitched a three-hit shutout his last time out against Texas. Minnesota will send Ervin Santana (5-9, 3.62) to the mound. Anthony Sherman Super Bowl Jersey .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. Darron Lee Super Bowl Jersey . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. http://www.officialkcchiefspro.com/Damien-wilson-chiefs-jersey/ .Y. -- Jayna Hefford scored the winning goal Friday as Canada survived a scare with a 4-3 win over Sweden at the Four Nations womens hockey tournament. Dorian ODaniel Super Bowl Jersey . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Juan Thornhill Super Bowl Jersey . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Marc Loving scored 18 points and Kam Williams added 17 more to lift Ohio State to a 70-62 win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday.JaeSean Tate and Trevor Thompson each had double-doubles for OSU (7-1), combining for 22 points and 25 rebounds. Williams, getting his fifth straight start for the injured Keita Bates-Diop, shot 7 for 13 from the field, hitting 3 of 6 from long range.Fairleigh Dickinson (2-5) trailed by just one point heading into halftime, and even had as much as a six-point lead in the first half. OSU opened the second half with an 18-2 run to stretch its advantage to 51-34 with 14:34 to go.Thompson started the second half instead of freshman center Micah Potter, which made an immediate impact. However, following that run, the Knights continued to chip into the lead without changing much of their game plan.In the final minutes, FDU cut the deficit to just six points before OSUs JaQuan Lyle iced the game with two free throws.Initially, defensively, we were good . but we didnt finish possessions, OSU coach Thad Matta said. Even some of the shots they missed were wide open. Thats just a sign of we werent as sharp as we needed to be.Darian Anderson led Fairleigh Dickinson with 17 points, and Kaleb Bishop added 12 to make it his second straight game with double figures. Knights coach Greg Herenda said that his team matched up better against OSU than it did against Army (4-4), their previous opponent.The Buckeyes were coming off a near-upset win at No. 6 Virginia on Wednesday that somehow didnt translate to the court on Saturday. Williams said that, for whatever reason, the team continues to play down to its opponents rather than remaining consistent.I feel like this team is at its best when were about to play a game and we play like our hairs on firee, he said.dddddddddddd. When we play these games, we dont have that sense of urgency.Both teams shot better in the second half, OSU at 53.6 percent and Fairleigh Dickinson at 41.7 percent. Despite Thompsons 13 rebounds and five blocked shots, the Knights still had 28 points in the paint and grabbed nine offensive rebounds to OSUs eight.We did just enough to have a chance to win and to do extraordinary things, you need to play extraordinary, Herenda said. Ohio State was just too big, too long and too good today.BIG PICTUREOhio State: The turnover bug continues to bite the Buckeyes, who turned the ball over seven times in the first 10 minutes of the game and 14 total. In OSUs last game, the team coughed up 20 turnovers to Virginia and allowed the Cavaliers to overcome a 12-point halftime deficit.JaQuan Lyle struggled for a second straight game with only seven points and five turnovers with five assists.Thompson said that Matta told the team that the Fairleigh Dickinson performance showed signs of regression.Fairleigh Dickinson: The Knights have had their struggles through seven games following last seasons conference tournament championship and NCAA tournament bid. However, at several points, Fairleigh Dickinson exposed the Buckeyes.These games help us so much down the road, Herenda said. Today it hurts and it stings, but as the season goes on, these games help us tremendously.UP NEXTThe Buckeyes host a midweek matchup against Florida Atlantic on Tuesday before welcoming the Connecticut Huskies to the Schottenstein Center on Dec. 10.Fairleigh Dickinson returns home on Wednesday to play the Iona Gaels before beginning a three-game road trip at Towson. ' ' '