Twins 15, Orioles 2
BALTIMORE -- Miguel Sano and Eduardo Escobar both homered, and rookie starter Tyler Duffey threw 7 2/3 solid innings as the Minnesota Twins snapped a three-game losing streak with a 15-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
The game was delayed by rain for 2 hours, 31 minutes at the start, but that didn't appear to bother the Twins (60-61), who won all four games against Baltimore (62-58) this year.
Sano, catcher Kurt Suzuki, third baseman Trevor Plouffe and left fielder Eddie Rosario each had two-run hits. The 15 runs were a season high for Minnesota, which banged out 18 hits overall, one short of its season high in that category.
Suzuki's two-run single sparked a five-run second inning that gave the Twins early control and a 5-0 lead.
Shortstop Escobar (RBI double) and second baseman Brian Dozier (RBI single) also helped in that frame. Escobar later added a solo homer in the ninth
The homer from designated hitter Sano in the fifth gave the Twins their final two runs off Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez. Plouffe added a two-run double later while Rosario pitched in with his two-run single during a five-run eighth that stretched the lead to 14-0.
Duffey (2-1) looked sharp in just his third major league start. He got his first major league win in his last start on Aug. 15, holding the Indians to just one hit in six shutout innings.
This time, the right-hander gave up two runs and scattered 10 hits in his 7 2/3 innings. Duffey struck out eight without a walk, often confusing the Orioles with his off-speed stuff.
Five of the hits the right-hander allowed came when the Orioles scored both of their runs in the eighth. They got RBI singles from right fielder Gerardo Parra and first baseman Caleb Joseph.
Gonzalez (9-9) continued his recent struggles. The right-hander allowed seven runs on eight hits in five innings and now has lost three in a row and gone five starts in a row without a victory.
The Twins quickly took command after the long rain delay. Minnesota batted around in the second and scored five runs on five hits off Gonzalez.
Right fielder Torii Hunter started it with a bases-loaded walk for a 1-0 lead. Suzuki followed with a two-run single on the next pitch, and Escobar then doubled in a run to put the Twins up 4-0.
One out later, Dozier lined an RBI single to left for a 5-0 lead, but left fielder Henry Urrutia of the Orioles threw out Escobar at the plate to prevent further damage. Gonzalez needed 40 pitches to get through the inning.
Gonzalez settled down after that but then gave up Sano's two-run homer in the fifth, a blast that gave the Twins a 7-0 lead.
NOTES: INF/OF Steve Pearce, on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, is progressing and, if all goes well, would return to Baltimore and head out to a rehab assignment possibly Saturday and Sunday. ... Orioles RHP Mike Wright, also on the DL (strained left calf), is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Saturday consisting of three innings, 45 pitches. ... The Twins recalled OF Byron Buxton from Triple-A Rochester. He replaces OF Aaron Hicks, placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. ... Coming into the game, the Twins had a .284 average with runners in scoring position -- fourth best in baseball behind the Blue Jays (.287), Giants (.286) and Orioles (.286).