Miguel Sano belted a three-run homer and Michael Pineda tossed six strong innings as the Minnesota Twins completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Baltimore Orioles with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon in Minneapolis.
Pineda (3-2) gave up only one run on three hits with two walks and eight strikeouts as the Twins extended their winning streak to a season-high four games.
Hansel Robles recorded his third save after allowing a run in the ninth when Maikel Franco’s two-out double scored Trey Mancini, who doubled to begin the inning.
Baltimore has lost nine straight and 16 of their last 18.
Mancini gave the Orioles an early lead with a two-out solo blast in the first off Pineda. Mancini leads Baltimore with 11 homers and 42 RBIs.
Jorge Lopez (1-6) allowed just two hits and two walks through five innings before running into trouble in the sixth.
Max Kepler singled to begin the inning and moved to second on Jorge Polanco’s groundout. Nelson Cruz then walked and the runners advanced to second and third on Alex Kirilloff’s groundout to first.
Lopez then surrendered Sano’s 426-foot home run, giving him seven homers and 17 RBIs in his last 13 games.
Lopez allowed three runs on four hits over a season-high six innings for the Orioles, who have lost 15 consecutive games against the Twins, dating back to March 31, 2018.
Baltimore appeared primed for a big inning in the third when Chance Sisco and Cedric Mullins each walked to begin the frame, but Pineda promptly retired the next three batters in order.
Tyler Duffey and Caleb Thielbar each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Twins, who have won seven of their last 10 games.
Orioles designated hitter Anthony Santander doubled in four at-bats and is 10-for-26 with five doubles, a home run and three RBIs in six games since returning from the injury list.
Baltimore, which went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position, placed outfielder Austin Hays on the injured list with a hamstring injury prior to the contest.
–Field Level Media