Field Level Media
Jul 6, 2018
Max Kepler hit a two-run homer and Lance Lynn gave up one run over six innings to pick up his sixth win of the season and lead the host Minnesota Twins to a 6-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night at Target Field.
Joe Mauer, Eddie Rosario, Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver each had two hits for Minnesota, which won consecutive games for the first time since June 20.
Lynn (6-7) bounced back from his worst start of the season against the Cubs on Sunday afternoon to pick up his first win since June 20 for the Twins. Lynn, who gave up seven runs in just 1 2/3 innings of a 11-10 loss at Wrigley Field, allowed one run on six hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out three and also benefitted from a home-run-saving catch by center fielder Jake Cave, who reached above the fence in center to rob Tim Beckham on the first pitch of the game.
Manny Machado had two hits, a walk and scored a run, Caleb Joseph had three hits and scored a run while Mark Trumbo and Beckham each had two hits for Baltimore, which lost its fourth straight game and 11th in the last 12 games. The Orioles fell to 12-34 on the road this season.
Dylan Bundy (6-8), activated from the 10-day disabled list before the game and making his first start since rolling his left ankle while rounding third base in a 7-5 win at Atlanta on June 23, gave up six runs (five earned) on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in taking the loss for the Orioles.
Minnesota parlayed four singles and a throwing error by Beckham into a 3-0 lead in the first. The Twins' first three batters -- Mauer, Rosario and Brian Dozier -- all greeted Bundy with line singles. Dozier's hit drove in Mauer while Rosario also scored when left fielder Trey Mancini's throw to third bounced off Beckham's glove into the dugout for an error. Two outs later, Polanco singled to drive in Dozier.
Kepler hit a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 5-0, a 427-foot shot into the second deck in right-center that drove in Polanco, who had reached base with a bunt single. Mauer added an RBI single later in the inning to drive in Cave, who had lined a single off the fence in right.
The Orioles cut it to 6-2 with an RBI single by Chris Davis in the sixth and a throwing error by Logan Morrison in the seventh on a grounder by Adam Jones that allowed Joseph, who had singled, to score.
--Field Level Media