Twins 4, Orioles 3
BALTIMORE -- Kurt Suzuki delivered a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
Minnesota has won the first two games of the four-game series and evened its record at .500 (61-61). After a four-game winning streak, the Orioles have lost three of four and remain just outside of the playoff picture.
Rookie designated hitter Miguel Sano and rookie center fielder Byron Buxton each had two hits for Minnesota.
Right-hander Casey Fien (3-5) picked up the win with 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Trevor May pitched a perfect eighth and Kevin Jepsen closed out the ninth for his sixth save and first for Minnesota.
Orioles right fielder Gerardo Parra hit his fifth home run (14th overall) since being acquired from Milwaukee on July 31.
Twins left-hander Tommy Milone retired 13 straight batters before allowing a single to left fielder Nolan Reimold in the sixth. Third baseman Manny Machado followed with a single and Parra hammered the next pitch over the right field scoreboard for a 3-1 lead. Twins right fielder Torii Hunter didn't bother to turn around to watch the ball sail into the crowd.
A single by Chris Davis ended the night for Milone, who allowed three runs, five hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings.
Baltimore had lost only once this season (51-1) when leading after seven innings with right-hander Darren O'Day as the main setup man and left-handed Zach Britton as closer.
O'Day (5-2), however, loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth and allowed a sacrifice fly by left fielder Eddie Rosario that cut the margin to 3-2. Suzuki's two-run single was a flair just over the head of second baseman Jonathan Schoop to give the Twins the lead.
Baltimore left-handed starter Wei-Yin Chen allowed one run and seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings.
The Twins took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when shortstop Eduardo Nunez earned a nine-pitch walk with two outs and the bases loaded. Chen then induced a groundout from Buxton to minimize the damage. Chen has struggled to go deep into games all season, and it took him 34 pitches just to get out of that inning.
NOTES: OF Steve Pearce (left oblique strain) will play for Double-A Bowie on Saturday and Sunday. He began his rehab assignment in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League on Thursday. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said there is still a chance Pearce could travel with the team to Kansas City for a four-game series that starts Monday. ... Twins LHP Glen Perkins (bulging disk) could throw a side session Saturday. If all goes well, the closer potentially could be available as early as Tuesday at Tampa Bay, manager Paul Molitor said. ... Baltimore RHP Chaz Roe (right shoulder tendinitis) is on schedule to throw a bullpen session Sunday. He likely will need a few rehab starts before rejoining the Orioles' bullpen.