Field Level Media
Jul 7, 2023
Ramon Urias doubled in the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning and Aaron Hicks added a sacrifice fly to lead the Baltimore Orioles to their third straight win, 3-1, over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Urias led off the 10th with the double into the gap in right-center off Minnesota reliever Jhoan Duran (2-4) to drive in automatic runner Colton Cowser from second. James McCann's sacrifice moved him to third, and he scored on Hicks' fly ball to center.
All-Star Felix Bautista (4-1) picked up the win with two hitless innings of relief. He walked one and struck out three, including Max Kepler to end the game. It was the opener of their three-game series going into the All-Star break.
Baltimore won for just the second time in its last 14 games at Target Field and closed to within three games of American League East leader Tampa Bay.
Cedric Mullins drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and also robbed Byron Buxton of a three-run homer when he reached above the center field fence by the 411 mark to grab his fly ball in the fourth inning.
Baltimore starter Cole Irvin blanked the Twins on two hits over the first six innings thanks to Mullins' highlight-reel catch. Carlos Correa and Donovan Solano opened the fourth with singles and Buxton then followed with his towering blast to center. Mullins timed his leap perfectly to deny Buxton his 16th home run of the season.
The Orioles, who were blanked on two hits over seven innings by Minnesota starter Bailey Ober in a 1-0 loss on July 1, finally scored a run on Ober in the sixth to take a 1-0 lead. Anthony Santander led off with a double down the right field line, advanced to third on a single by Ryan O'Hearn and scored on Mullins' sacrifice fly.
The Twins tied it 1-1 in the seventh when Kyle Farmer doubled off the wall in right and came around to score on a single by Willi Castro.
--Field Level Media