BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Interstat) — Josh Bell homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Minnesota Twins defeated the Houston Astros 6-3 Monday night at Target Field.

Bell went 3 for 4 with a pair of solo home runs and a tiebreaking RBI single in a three-run sixth inning that snapped a 3-3 deadlock. The victory lifted Minnesota to 22-26, while Houston fell to 19-30.

The Astros struck first in the top of the first inning. Jeremy Peña was hit by a pitch, Isaac Paredes singled to send Peña to third, and Yordan Alvarez walked to load the bases. Christian Walker popped out, and Zach Dezenzo lined into a double play, shortstop Brooks Lee to second baseman Luke Keaschall, to end the threat.

Minnesota broke through in the second. With one out, Bell crushed his fourth home run of the season to center field, giving the Twins a 1-0 lead.

The score remained 1-0 until the fourth. Bell struck again, this time with a two-run homer to left field after Trevor Larnach singled, pushing the Twins ahead 3-0. The Astros answered immediately in the fifth when Brice Matthews singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Peña, and Christian Vázquez added an RBI single, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Houston tied it in the top of the sixth when Yordan Alvarez walked and Christian Walker singled, but a double play ended the inning.

The decisive rally came in the bottom of the sixth. Austin Martin flied out, but Larnach walked and Ryan Jeffers doubled to put runners at second and third. Kody Clemens walked to load the bases. Bell then singled to right, driving in Larnach and making it 4-3. Luke Keaschall followed with a single that deflected off left fielder Zach Dezenzo, scoring Jeffers and Clemens for a 6-3 lead.

Houston mounted a comeback in the seventh. Brice Matthews walked, Cam Smith was hit by a pitch, and Vázquez singled to score Matthews. Peña’s sacrifice fly brought home Smith, and Yordan Alvarez singled to put runners at the corners. Christian Walker singled to center, scoring Vázquez and making it 6-3. But pinch-hitter Zach Cole grounded out to end the inning.

The Astros put two on in the ninth against Twins closer Taylor Rogers, who earned his first save of the season. After Christian Vázquez walked and Isaac Paredes walked, Rogers struck out Yordan Alvarez looking and got Christian Walker to ground out to shortstop to end the game.

Eric Orze (2-1) earned the win, allowing no hits and no runs over 1 1/3 innings with one strikeout. Tatsuya Imai (1-2) took the loss, surrendering six runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, walking four and striking out two.

Kendry Rojas gave the Twins a strong start, tossing four scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out three. Simeon Woods Richardson added a scoreless inning, and Andrew Morris also pitched a hitless frame. For Houston, the bullpen allowed three runs over three innings.

The Twins totaled nine hits, led by Bell’s three. Jeffers doubled, and Lee, Gray, Outman and Keaschall each had one hit. Houston managed seven hits, including two from Walker and one each from Paredes, Alvarez, Smith, Matthews and Vázquez.

The game was played in 2 hours, 38 minutes in front of 11,488 at Target Field.

Houston next faces Minnesota again Tuesday night in the second game of the series. The Astros then travel to Chicago to face the Cubs before a three-game set at Texas. Minnesota continues its homestand with the Astros on Tuesday and Wednesday before traveling to Boston and then Chicago to face the White Sox.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Minnesota 5, Houston 4. The ELO system gave the Astros a 50.30 percent probability to win. Minnesota was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5, and the total of nine runs went under the over/under line of 9.5.