BALTIMORE (AP) — Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran forced in the tiebreaking run when he hit rookie Jordan Westburg with a pitch n the eighth inning, enabling the Baltimore Orioles to stop a four-game skid with a 2-1 victory Sunday.
The Orioles had gone 20 straight innings without a run and were poised to be swept for the first time this season before coming back from a 1-0 deficit in the eighth.
Duran struck out Gunnar Henderson before successive singles by Adley Rutschman, Anthony Santander and Aaron Hicks tied the score. After an intentional walk loaded the bases, Duran (2-3) plunked Westburg with a fastball to give the Orioles their first lead in the three-game series.
Cionel Pérez (2-1) worked a perfect eighth inning and Félix Bautista struck out the side in the ninth for his 22nd save in 27 chances.
Baltimore scored three runs with 12 hits in the series against the AL Central-leading Twins.
Twins starter Sonny Gray allowed two hits over six shutout innings, striking out seven and walking three on a steamy day at Camden Yards. The right-hander faced only one serious jam, in the fifth inning when the Orioles loaded the bases with two outs before Gray retired Rutschman on a flyout.
Baltimore's Cole Irvin gave up one run and six hits in five innings. He and Gray put up zeroes until the fifth, when Byron Buxton singled, took second in a wild pitch and scored on Willi Castro's two-out double.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: Placed INF Royce Lewis on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain and recalled INF José Miranda from Triple-A St. Paul. Lewis was injured Saturday while running out a grounder in the third inning. “He’ll be out for a little while, for sure,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.
Orioles: OF Austin Hays left in the fourth inning with a hip contusion. He was replaced by Hicks, who drove in the tying run.
UP NEXT
Twins: RH Joe Ryan (8-5, 3.44 ERA) starts Monday night in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Kansas City Royals.
Orioles: Coming off a perfect game against Oakland, right-hander Domingo Germán goes up against Baltimore RH Tyler Wells (6-4, 3.21) at Yankee Stadium on Monday night. —
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