Twins 3, Orioles 2
BALTIMORE -- Byron Buxton picked a good time to get his first major-league RBI, lining a tiebreaking single to left with two outs in the seventh inning that gave the Minnesota Twins a 3-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.
Buxton's single, which came off right-handed reliever Brad Brach, capped a two-run, seventh-inning rally against Orioles starter Chris Tillman and right-hander Brad Brach.
The Twins (62-61) have won the first three games of this four-game series and are 6-0 vs. the Orioles (62-60) this season.
Baltimore and Minnesota play the final game of the season series on Sunday, and both teams remain in the thick of the wild-card race.
This was the second consecutive night the Twins rallied to hand the Orioles a tough loss.
The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the second. Designated hitter Steve Clevenger stretched his hitting streak to six games with a one-out single to center and scored on left fielder Henry Urrutia's two-out double to left-center, the first two-bagger of his career.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy gave Baltimore a 2-1 lead with his sacrifice fly in the sixth before the Twins quickly answered.
Left fielder Eddie Rosario drew a one-out walk off Tillman in the seventh. Rosario went to third when right fielder Torii Hunter singled. Catcher Kurt Suzuki then dropped a perfect squeeze bunt near the mound that Tillman fielded, but the right-hander could throw only to first as Rosario scored the tying run.
Brach came on and intentionally walked shortstop Eduardo Escobar -- after going 3-0 on the count -- before Buxton lined the tiebreaking single to left, scoring Hunter.
Minnesota right-hander Casey Fien (4-5) got a victory for the second consecutive game thanks to 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief after replacing starter Kyle Gibson, who gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.
Right-hander Kevin Jepsen came on in the ninth to earn his second save in two nights as closer Glen Perkins (neck) remains out for a few more days.
Tillman (9-8) had won his last seven decisions but saw that streak end despite giving up just three runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings.
NOTES: SS J.J. Hardy felt some groin discomfort Friday in a loss to the Twins but still started Saturday after doing all right in his pregame work. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter said INF/OF Steve Pearce's situation will be re-evaluated after this game. Pearce (strained oblique) played his first rehab game at Double-A Bowie and was scheduled to do one more there Sunday and then possibly join the team for the Kansas City/Texas road trip that starts Monday. Showalter said Pearce might need just one game. ... LHP Glen Perkins played catch before the game and did fine. He'll throw a bullpen session Sunday and, if all goes well, be available for duty on Tuesday. ... Newly acquired left-hander Neal Cotts joined the Twins. They got him from the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday for cash or a player to be named. He pitched in 51 games for Milwaukee this year, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.26 ERA.