By Dan Myers
Sports Xchange
MINNEAPOLIS - Miguel Sano had two hits, including his first major league home run, and reached base three times as the Minnesota Twins won 8-3 over the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field on Tuesday.
The Twins will go for the three-game sweep of the Orioles on Wednesday afternoon. Baltimore has not been swept in a three-game series since mid-April. Minnesota has not swept a series of any kind since May 25-27.
Sano’s two-run blast in the first inning travelled 396 feet into the left-field bleachers, giving Twins right-hander Kyle Gibson plenty of early offensive support.
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Gibson improved to 7-6, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk in six innings of work, striking out seven. It was the fifth consecutive quality start for Gibson, whose season ERA stands at 3.04.
Minnesota took advantage of Baltimore’s inability to take the early lead, posting a pair of crooked numbers through the first four innings.
After going 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Monday’s 4-2 loss in extra innings, the Orioles had two chances to atone early on Tuesday. But Baltimore left a pair of runners in scoring position in the first inning and another in the second, going 0-for-5 in scoring position production in the first two innings.
Minnesota put up three runs in the first, getting a one-out single from Joe Mauer, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Third baseman Trevor Plouffe followed with a double to deep center ahead of Sano, who blasted his first career home run over the right-field wall for an early 3-0 lead off Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman.
Mauer came around to score again in the third. After leading off the inning with another single, Mauer got to third base with two outs. Right fielder Eddie Rosario struck out swinging, but the ball got past catcher Matt Wieters and Rosario reached, allowing Mauer to scamper in from third.
The Twins knocked Gausman out in the fourth inning with a four-spot. A sacrifice fly by second baseman Brian Dozier made it 5-0 before Minnesota loaded the bases with two outs, as Gausman was lifted after hitting Plouffe with a pitch. Sano worked a walk against righty Brad Brach and Rosario followed with a two-run single to left field, extending the lead to 8-0.
Baltimore got on the board in the fifth on a two-run blast by shortstop J.J. Hardy. The home run ended a streak of 12 scoreless innings pitched by Gibson.
Notes: Orioles C Matt Wieters was behind the plate again on Tuesday, catching on back-to-back days for the first time this season. Wieters missed the first two months of this season and most of last season after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. ... Twins LHP Ryan O’Rourke made it to the ballpark and was available to pitch out of the bullpen on Tuesday. O’Rourke was recalled from Triple-A Rochester following the game on Monday. ... The Orioles and Twins will wrap up their three-game series on Wednesday afternoon at Target Field. Baltimore right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (7-4, 2.96 ERA) will oppose Minnesota lefty Tommy Milone (4-1, 3.02 ERA).
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