Twins at Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles vie for their sixth win in seven outings when they open a four-game series against the visiting Minnesota Twins on Thursday. Henry Urrutia provided the fireworks on Wednesday, belting his first major-league homer to lead off the ninth inning as Baltimore salvaged a split of its abbreviated two-game interleague series with the New York Mets.
The walk-off victory was the third of the homestand for the Orioles, who are 5-1 on their 10-game stay at Camden Yards. Manny Machado is 7-for-16 with three RBIs and two runs scored during his four-game hitting streak as Baltimore remained a half game behind the Los Angeles Angels for the second wild-card spot in the American League. Minnesota trails the Angels by four games after beginning its 10-game road trip by getting swept by the New York Yankees. The tumbling Twins have lost five straight on the road and 13 of their last 15 away from home.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN North (Minnesota), MASN (Baltimore)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Tyler Duffey (1-1, 6.75 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Miguel Gonzalez (9-8, 4.42)
Recalled from Triple-A Rochester prior to Saturday's contest, Duffey overcame five walks to allow just one hit over six scoreless innings and pick up the win against Cleveland. The 24-year-old's performance was a night-and-day difference than his previous outing on August 5, when he permitted six runs on five hits - including two homers - in two innings versus Toronto. Duffey has joined the rotation with Phil Hughes nursing a sore back.
Gonzalez's winless streak stretched to four starts on Saturday despite allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings against Oakland. The 31-year-old Mexican has yielded two homers in each of his last two outings and eight walks in his last three combined. Gonzalez has split a pair of decisions versus Minnesota, permitting one run on four hits in seven frames to pick up the win in the last meeting.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota LHP Glen Perkins received an MRI and a cortisone injection in his neck on Wednesday, but is expected to rejoin the team for the series opener versus Baltimore.
2. Orioles SS J.J. Hardy is mired in a 4-for-41 slump.
3. The Twins placed CF Aaron Hicks on the 15-day disabled list after he strained his left hamstring on Wednesday.