Alan Roden ripped a go-ahead RBI double to highlight a four-run third inning, fueling the Minnesota Twins to a 7-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Josh Bell, who joined Roden with three hits, had an RBI single in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 16 games.
Royce Lewis slapped an RBI double and Kody Clemens and Victor Caratini each had an RBI single.
The Twins erupted with 14 hits en route to winning the decisive contest of the three-game series.
The offense was more than enough for Zebby Matthews (6-8), who allowed four runs on six hits in five innings.
Three relievers did not allow a hit over three innings to bridge the gap to Yoendrys Gomez, who surrendered a homer to Leody Taveras to lead off the ninth. Gomez, however, got the final three outs to secure his 17th save of the season.
Dylan Beavers belted a three-run homer in the third inning for the Orioles, who have lost five of their last seven games.
Baltimore seized a 4-1 lead in the third inning after Beavers deposited a 2-2 curveball from Matthews over the wall in right field. Beavers’ homer was his third of the season and first since April 24.
Minnesota responded with four runs in the third inning. Clemens plated Lewis with an RBI single and Luke Keaschall added a sacrifice fly that scored Bell as the Twins trimmed their deficit to 4-3. Caratini’s single plated Clemens, and Roden’s double off the center field wall off Shane Baz (4-12) scored Brooks Lee.
Minnesota tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning, courtesy of Trevor Larnach’s sacrifice fly and Lewis’ RBI double.
Baz permitted five runs on nine hits in a season-low three innings to fall to 0-6 since his last win on June 12.
Baltimore struck first as Gunnar Henderson walked, advanced to third base on a single by Pete Alonso and scored on a fielder’s choice by Jackson Holliday.
Minnesota answered in its half of the first inning, as Larnach singled and advanced to second on a flyout before scoring on Bell’s single to right field.
–Field Level Media
