HOUSTON — A year ago Monday,
During months of grueling rehabilitation, there were many low times when Lewis wondered why these setbacks kept happening.
“All the time,” he said. “I mean, you’re human, right?”
But on Monday all that pain seemed miles away when he returned to the lineup.
“I loved it,” he said. “I loved every bit of it.”
Max Kepler started the 10th as the automatic runner on second base before Jeffers drove the first pitch from Bryan Abreu (2-1) into the seats in left field for his third hit and the 7-5 lead.
Lewis gave Minnesota an early lead with a three-run homer in the third. The Astros went ahead 5-4 when Jose Altuve hit a grand slam in the seventh.
But Lewis came through again late, tying it with an RBI single off Ryan Pressly with two outs in the ninth, the closer’s first blown save in 11 chances this year.
Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli raved about the game by Lewis and noted he also made some nice defensive plays.
“What a day,” Baldelli said. “What a day for him.”
Sonny Gray, who started the game in which Lewis was injured, also started Monday’s game.
“I’m getting chills because [I was] back on the mound too when he came back,” Gray said as goosebumps covered his arms. “It was a welcome sight when we got on the airplane yesterday and he was there smiling, just being Royce. And then for him to come out today and do that — he’s a special kid.”
Lewis couldn’t stop smiling after the game and remained in uniform with eye black still on his face long after it had ended as he reveled in his triumphant comeback. But the 23-year-old’s grin seemed to get even bigger when talking about the excitement his teammates had in witnessing his return.
“I truly love these guys,” he said. “It’s like a second family. So it means the world to me that they accept me and they want me here and we have fun together.”
