|
 Dozier's two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the
Twins to a 4-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday at Target
Field.
Dozier, who leads all of Major League Baseball in extra-base hits
and runs scored and is first among A.L. second basemen in homers, is
one of the final five players selected for the American League's
Final Vote campaign, where fans can select the final All-Star in
each league.
The walk-off hit, his first of the season, helped salvage a
disappointing day for Dozier, who is still seeking his first trip to
the All-Star Game.
"I was kind of optimistic about it, going into the whole deal once
they announced the starters last night," Dozier said. "It is what it
is. If it happens, it happens. But I promise you, I won't lose any
sleep over it."
The victory certainly helped too: Baltimore and Minnesota began
their three-game series here tied for the second wild-card spot in
the A.L.
"Much-needed win," Dozier said. "That's pretty much the only thing
on my mind right now."
With the game tied at 2 entering the bottom of the 10th, shortstop
Danny Santana ripped a one-out single to left, setting up Dozier's
heroics. The second baseman ripped a 2-0 fastball from Orioles
right-hander Tommy Hunter into the left-field seats for his first
walk-off hit since June 20, 2014.
"He missed with two backup sliders," Dozier said. "I got ahead in
the count and I knew he probably wasn't going to throw me
three-straight (
sliders)."
"Left a fastball up and he hit it," Hunter said. "In a game like
that, trying to get ground balls instead of fly balls would be an
ideal situation, but he hit it."
Santana's single was Minnesota's first hit since a leadoff single by
designated hitter Miguel Sano in the fourth inning. The Twins
finished with just six on the night.
Sano, making his home debut, was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.
Trevor May, appearing out of the bullpen for the first time this
season, earned the win for Minnesota, pitching one scoreless inning.
"Both teams were grinding," Twins manager Paul Molitor said. "A
really good win for us."
Each of Monday's starters was credited with a quality start,
although neither figured in the final decision.
Baltimore starter Wei-Yin Chen lasted seven innings, allowing just
four hits while giving up two runs and three walks and striking out
five. For Chen, it was his seventh consecutive outing of allowing
three runs or less, and the eighth time in his last 10 starts he has
done it. Chen lowered his ERA to 2.82 in the process.
Minnesota starter Phil Hughes was nearly as effective, allowing just
the two runs on nine hits and a walk in 6 1/3 innings. A scoring
change on Sunday snapped his streak of quality starts at four, but
Hughes has now gone at least six innings and allowed three runs or
less in five of his last six starts overall.
The right-hander was in line for his eighth win until he gave up a
solo home run to center fielder Adam Jones, a shot that hit high off
the left-field foul pole with one out in the sixth. It was the 21st
home run Hughes has allowed this season, most in the American
League.
Baltimore threatened to take the lead in the sixth, as right fielder
Chris Davis followed Jones' blast with a single. A double by catcher
Matt Wieters put runners on second and third with one out, but
Hughes worked out of the jam, getting a grounder back to the mound
and a fly out to center to end the inning.
Hughes departed with a pair of runners on in the seventh, but
left-hander Brian Duensing coaxed a double play on his first pitch
to end the threat.
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Baltimore finished the game 0-for-8 at the plate with runners in
scoring position.
"It's not something you just dial up because someone is out there,"
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "There's two parts to the
equation. We had some opportunities we didn't take advantage of. But
sometimes you have to give credit to the other guy too."
The Orioles jumped ahead early on a solo home run by third baseman
Manny Machado on the second pitch of the game. It was the fourth
leadoff homer by Machado this season.
Machado, celebrating his 23rd birthday on Monday, was selected for
his second All-Star Game appearance earlier in the day.
But Baltimore's lead was short-lived.
Twins right fielder Torii Hunter evened the score in the bottom half
of the inning, hitting his 13th homer of the season off the facing
of the upper deck in left field.
Another solo blast, this one by center fielder Aaron Hicks, gave the
Twins the lead in the second inning. Hicks hit an 0-1 off-speed
offering from Chen into the bullpen in left-center field for his
third home run of the season and second in as many days.
Hicks added a fine running catch to end the fourth inning, robbing
Orioles first baseman Chris Parmelee of a sure RBI hit. With a pair
of runners on, Parmelee crushed a Hughes fastball to the deepest
part of the ballpark. But Hicks tracked it down, hauling it in with
a pretty over-the-shoulder, Willie Mays-style catch with his back
completely facing home plate, preserving the Twins lead.
NOTES: Orioles OF Nolan Reimold was placed on the paternity list.
Reimold and his wife are expecting the birth of a daughter. ...
Orioles INF Ryan Flaherty was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.
Flaherty is hitting .248 with three homers and 20 RBIs in 51 games
with the big-league club this season. ... Twins RHP Ryan Pressly was
placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right lat strain suffered
Saturday against the Kansas City Royals. Pressly is 3-2 with a 2.93
ERA in 27 appearances this season. ... Twins OF Shane Robinson was
reinstated from the family emergency list. Robinson is hitting .250
with 12 RBIs in 50 games. ... Twins LHP Aaron Thompson was optioned
to Triple-A Rochester following the game. Thompson is 1-3 with a
5.01 ERA in 41 appearances this season. His 41 games is the most in
the American League. ... Twins LHP Ryan O'Rourke had his contract
selected by the club. O'Rourke, a 13th-round pick by the Twins in
the 2010 draft, has never pitched in the majors. He is 0-0 with a
5.93 ERA in 20 appearances with Triple-A Rochester this season. ...
The Orioles and Twins will play the second of a three-game series on
Tuesday at Target Field. Baltimore RHP Kevin Gausman (1-0, 3.09 ERA)
will oppose Minnesota RHP Kyle Gibson (6-6, 3.04).
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
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