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 Miguel Sano and Eduardo Escobar both homered, and rookie starter
Duffey threw 7 2/3 solid innings as the Twins rolled to a 15-2
victory over the Orioles in the opener of a four-game series.
The game was delayed by rain for 2 hours, 31 minutes at the start,
but that didn't affect Duffey (2-1), making just his third major
league start. He gave up only three hits in the first six innings
before fading late and allowing a total of 10 with just two runs
overall while really throwing the Orioles off with his sharp
curveball.
"They had a lot of trouble with that breaking ball," Twins manager
Paul Molitor said "He kept it down. It started flattening a little
bit toward the end after some of the long innings he was on the
sidelines there. But yeah, just hit his spots with his fastball. And
the curveball was really good."
Duffey got his first major league win in his last start on Aug. 15,
holding the Indians to just one hit in six shutout innings.
He employed the curve in the right times during this game, often
finishing off Baltimore hitters with it. Duffey struck out eight
without a walk.
"For the most part it is always my put-away pitch," Duffey said.
"It's just one of those things where if they are swinging it I'm
going to keep throwing it."
The Twins (60-61) finished with a season-high 15 runs. They also
banged out 18 hits, one short of their season high in that category.
Sano, catcher Kurt Suzuki, third baseman Trevor Plouffe and left
fielder Eddie Rosario each had two-run hits.
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.
The Orioles (62-58) scored both of their runs in the eighth thanks
to 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.
"His command got away from him," Orioles manager Buck Showalter
said. "He was wild in the strike zone and you do it against any
major league team, you're going to pay a price. He got some things
in his favor and he just couldn't finish them off."
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The Twins quickly took command after the long rain delay. Minnesota
batted around in the second and scored those 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. They
added two more in the seventh plus five in the eighth to break it
open, and the Orioles said they'll just move on.
"They just hit the ball tonight," said Baltimore designated hitter
Steve Clevenger, who went 1-for-4. "They came to play. We're not
going to dwell on it. (We'll) come back tomorrow, and we're going to
be ready to play."
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).
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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