O's game blog: Looking to bounce back in Minnesota

orioles running gray

After a game where O's pitching allowed three hits through eight innings and retired 21 batters in a row, two reached to start the last of the ninth and the Orioles lost 3-2 at Minnesota on Friday night.

Closer Jorge López, who had recorded nine straight saves and had not allowed a homer all year, gave up a two-run, walk-off homer to Byron Buxton in the Minnesota win. Luis Arraez led off the ninth with a nine-pitch single to center to set the stage for Buxton to hit his 21st homer of the year to end the game.

The Twins (44-36), leading the AL Central by 1 1/2 games over Cleveland and by 5 1/2 over the Chicago White Sox, improved to 12-9 against AL East teams and 24-17 at home. The Twins have the fourth-most home wins in the AL and tied for fifth-most in baseball. They had lost their past two games via walk-off defeats.

Right-hander Joe Ryan, last night's Twins starter, allowed just two hits and one run over seven innings on 89 pitches. He threw his four-seamer 61 percent of the time at an average velocity of 92 mph, topping at 94.

Minnesota starting pitchers have combined to go 6-2, 2.05 ERA (79.0 IP, 18 ER) with 15 walks, 55 strikeouts, a .201 opponent batting average and eight quality starts in their last 14 games.

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Orioles and Twins lineups

Orioles and Twins lineups

MINNEAPOLIS – Trey Mancini returns to the Orioles lineup today at Target Field after pinch-hitting last night. He didn’t start due to a sore right hand that required a cortisone injection.

Mancini’s eight-game hitting streak ended last night with his ground ball.

Mancini is playing right field and Anthony Santander is in left. Austin Hays is the designated hitter.

Robinson Chirinos is catching in a day game following a night game. Adley Rutschman is on the bench.

Tyler Nevin starts at third base.

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Hyde ejected and Orioles tossed on Buxton walk-off home run (updated)

Hyde ejected and Orioles tossed on Buxton walk-off home run (updated)

MINNEAPOLIS – The Orioles had just tied tonight’s game in the top of the third inning on Cedric Mullins’ two-out double. Austin Hays lined out, Spenser Watkins began to warm and manager Brandon Hyde reached his boiling point.

Hyde was ejected from the game, his second this season and the eighth of his career. This one was hardly noticeable.

The dispute began after a strike call to Mullins on the first pitch of the at-bat, which the Orioles thought was high and prompted some barking from the bench.

Plate umpire Ramon De Jesus kept turning back to the dugout, and Hyde came onto the field after the inning. Hyde carried his argument from De Jesus to crew chief Alfonso Márquez, appearing to gesture that the Twins had a similar beef earlier in the game that went ignored.  

Hyde tried to go back to De Jesus, and Márquez pushed him with both hands toward the dugout. Hyde walked down the steps and raised a hand to calm catcher Robinson Chirinos.

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O's game blog: The series opener at Minnesota to wrap up road trip

Rutschman hit black

The Orioles have reached the final stop on a three-city road trip. They went 3-1 in Chicago against the White Sox and 1-2 in Seattle versus the Mariners. And tonight they begin a three-game weekend series in Minnesota. They are 4-3 on the trip and need one win to guarantee a .500 trip and two to post a wining road trip.

The Orioles (35-42) have the best record, for what it is worth, of any fifth-place team in the majors. They begin play tonight six games behind third-place Tampa Bay and 8 ½ games behind both Boston and Toronto, which are tied for second place in the American League East.

The Orioles completed June at 14-12 and begin a new month tonight in the series opener. In posting their first winning month since August of 2017 (17-12), they had a plus 17 run differential in June. In 26 games over the month, they averaged 4.77 runs per game, seventh in the AL and 12th in MLB. Baltimore's 3.86 ERA (97 ER/226.0 IP) in June ranked sixth in the AL and 12th in MLB. Its .538 winning percentage ranked sixth in the AL, behind the New York Yankees (.786, 22-6), Boston Red Sox (.769, 20-6), Cleveland Guardians (.643, 18-10), Houston Astros (.640, 16-9) and Seattle Mariners (.552, 16-13). O's relievers owned a 2.89 ERA (31 ER/96.2 IP) in June, the second-lowest in MLB last month, behind the New York Yankees with a 2.00 ERA (21 ER/94.1 IP) in 28 games. O's starters have posted a 2.18 ERA (16 ER/66.0 IP) in 13 games since June 16, the best team starting pitcher ERA in MLB over that span.

Even in losing the last two games in Seattle, the Orioles have won eight of 13 and 11 of 18 games. They are 13-10 their past 23 games and 21-18 since May 19. They went 14-16 in May, giving them a .500 record at 28-28 since May 1.

O’s pitchers have allowed only 20 runs the last eight games, 24 in 10 and 33 runs over the past 13 games. The club has allowed two runs or less in nine of those 13 games with a team ERA of 2.43 in that span.

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Orioles and Twins lineups

Watkins pitch white

MINNEAPOLIS – Trey Mancini is out of the Orioles’ lineup tonight for the second time in three games, as they visit the Twins on the final stop of their three-city road trip.

Mancini, who has an eight-game hitting streak, didn’t play Tuesday and the Orioles were off yesterday. He went 1-for-5 with a double on Wednesday.

Anthony Santander is the designated hitter tonight, with Ryan McKenna in left field and Austin Hays in right. Adley Rutschman is batting fifth.

Jonathan Araúz gets another start at third base.

Spenser Watkins has a 5.14 ERA and 1.629 WHIP in nine starts, but he allowed only an unearned run in five innings in Chicago. He faced the Twins on May 5 at Camden Yards and surrendered three runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. Byron Buxton homered.

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Astros rally to eliminate Twins in wild card series, extending playoff losing streak

Astros rally to eliminate Twins in wild card series, extending playoff losing streak
The Twins won the American League Central by not losing two consecutive games at home during the season. Then everything changed when the postseason started. The Astros came to Target Field and added more history-making agony to the Twins' postseason record. After losing 4-1 and 3-1 to the Astros in the first two wild card games, the Twins extended their postseason losing streak to 18 consecutive games, more than any other National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, National...
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Some key points entering regular season's final week of play

Some key points entering regular season's final week of play
Baseball's final week of the regular season has arrived. Here's what we know: The Brewers haven't missed National League MVP candidate Christian Yelich: The Brewers are 10-2 since Yelich was sidelined with a knee injury. They are 17-4 during September, a repeat performance of last season when they won 20 games in the final month to make the postseason. The Brewers, who have the tiebreaker to get home field in case of a wild card tie with Washington, have scored 32 runs in their last four...
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Indians hope rotation depth will tilt balance their way in AL Central

Indians hope rotation depth will tilt balance their way in AL Central
The Indians have won three consecutive American League Central titles on cruise control. There wasn't a need to win a critical series in the final weeks. In 2016, Cleveland beat second-place Detroit by eight games. In 2017, the Indians beat the second-place Twins by 17 games. Last season, they finished 13 games ahead of the Twins. Any wonder then that Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger said the final weeks of the last three seasons have felt like glorified spring training games? No intensity...
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Opposite dugout: Twins' playoff chances look remote

Opposite dugout: Twins' playoff chances look remote
Manager: Paul Molitor (4th season) Record: 35-48 Last 10 games: 2-8 Who to watch: LF Eddie Rosario (.308 with 18 HR, 52 RBIs), SS Eduardo Escobar (50 RBIs, 34 doubles), 2B Brian Dozier (34 RBIs), RF Max Kepler (29 RBIs) RHP Kyle Gibson (3.48 ERA), RHP Fernando Rodney (17 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 2-1 Pitching probables: July 5: RHP Andrew Cashner (2-8) vs. RHP Aaron Slegers (0-0), 8:10 p.m., MASN2July 6: RHP Dylan Bundy (6-7) vs. RHP Lance Lynn (5-7), 8:10 p.m., MASN2July 7: RHP Kevin...
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Opposite dugout: Twins out to prove 2017 wasn't an anomaly

Opposite dugout: Twins out to prove 2017 wasn't an anomaly
Manager: Paul Molitor (4th season) Record: 85-77 (2nd in AL Central in 2017; captured 2nd AL wild card) Last 10 games: Season opener Who to watch: 2B Brian Dozier (.271 average, 34 HR, 93 RBIs); 3B Miguel Sanó (.264 average, 28 HR, 77 RBIs); CF Byron Buxton (.253 average, 29 SB); RHP José Berríos (14-8, 3.89 ERA); RHP Lance Lynn (11-8, 3.43 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (5-2 in 2017) Pitching probables: March 29: RHP Jake Odorizzi (10-8, 4.14 ERA) vs. RHP Dylan Bundy...
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Martinez updates status of Murphy and Glover

Martinez updates status of Murphy and Glover
The Nationals made roster moves prior to their 3-1 exhibition loss to the Twins Tuesday by moving right-hander Koda Glover (right shoulder tendinitis) to the 60-day disabled list. The team selected the contract of veteran catcher Miguel Montero and placed second baseman Daniel Murphy (microfracture right knee surgery) and right-hander Joaquin Benoit (right forearm strain) on the 10-day disabled list. After the game, manager Davey Martinez detailed the next few weeks for Murphy, confirming the...
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Starting lineup: Twins at Nats exhibition game in D.C. (updated)

Starting lineup: Twins at Nats exhibition game in D.C. (updated)
It is the butterflies-in-the-tummy-worthy moment. That moment you walk back into Nats Park and you see the boys in red and white taking pregame grounders and batting practice. Baseball is back in D.C. today as the Nationals face off against the Minnesota Twins in one last exhibition game before they travel to Cincinnati for Thursday's opener against the Reds. The pitching matchup: Left-hander Gio Gonzalez (1-1, 4.30 ERA) vs. Right-hander José Berríos (2-1, 1.69) New manager Davey...
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Indians taking run at third consecutive AL Central title

Indians taking run at third consecutive AL Central title
After losing the 2016 World Series in seven games and the 2017 Division Series to the Yankees in five games, the Cleveland Indians hope to take a run at a third consecutive American League Central championship. But their biggest competition comes from the Twins, a wild card team in 2017 that has added six players, including five pitchers, two of them starters. The White Sox and Tigers are in rebuild, although the White Sox are, unlike the Tigers, beyond the first step. The Royals lost two key...
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Be ready early: Orioles' April schedule is brutal

Be ready early: Orioles' April schedule is brutal
When the 2018 season begins, the Orioles will be afforded no time to ease into the action. The early season schedule is tough and littered with 2017 playoff teams. Of the 15 American League teams, just five finished over .500 last year and they were all playoff teams. Cleveland won 102 games, Houston won 101 on its way to the World Series title, Boston won 93, New York won 91 and Minnesota 85. Of their first seven series of the 2018 season, the Orioles play each of those five teams once. They...
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Taking a look at the bizarre AL wild card race

Taking a look at the bizarre AL wild card race
The American League wild card race is bizarre, flawed or mediocre - whatever you choose to call it. In most seasons, teams struggling to stay above .500 would be long gone out of the race. Not this year. Here is what makes the AL wild card race so wild: * The Twins, who lost 103 games in 2016, are contenders even with a rotation that includes Bartolo Colon, Aaron Slegers, Dillion Gee and Tim Melville. Colon is 44 and looks like a sportswriter. Slegers has made one big league start, Gee 23 in...
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Where the American League postseason race stands

Where the American League postseason race stands
With less than two months to go, there's not a lot of drama in the National League races. The Nationals most likely will play either the Cubs, Brewers or surging Cardinals in the Division Series, while the Dodgers will play the winner of the projected Diamondbacks-Rockies wild card game. The American League is more complex. Teams are bunched and a .500 record keeps a team thinking October. The Orioles are contenders even though they were seven games under on July 16. The Orioles' schedule...
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Opposite dugout: Twins going from worst in MLB to playoff contention

Opposite dugout: Twins going from worst in MLB to playoff contention
Manager: Paul Molitor (3rd season) Record: 43-41 Last 10 games: 4-6 Who to watch: 3B Miguel Sanó (20 HR, 60 RBIs), DH Robbie Grossman (.253/.382/.389), CF Byron Buxton (16 stolen bases), RHP José Berríos (3.44 ERA, 1.071 WHIP), RHP Brandon Kintzler (2.41 ERA, 22 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 3-0 Pitching probables: July 6: RHP Dylan Bundy vs. RHP José Berríos, 8:10 p.m., MASN2 July 7: RHP Kevin Gausman vs. RHP Felix Jorge, 8:10 p.m., MASN2 July 8: LHP Wade Miley vs. LHP...
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Opposite dugout: Despite curious stats, Twins atop AL Central

Opposite dugout: Despite curious stats, Twins atop AL Central
Manager: Paul Molitor (3rd season) Record: 22-18 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: 3B Miguel Sanó (.304 with 10 HR, 34 RBIs); 1B Joe Mauer (.262 with 18 runs, 34 RBIs); RF Max Kepler (.260 with 4 HR, 16 RBIs); RHP Ervin Santana (6-2, 2.07 ERA); RHP Brandon Kintzler (2-0, 1.89 ERA with 11 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (1-5 in 2016) Pitching probables: May 22: RHP Kyle Gibson vs. RHP Ubaldo Jiménez, 7:05 p.m., MASNMay 23: RHP Ervin Santana vs. RHP Dylan Bundy, 7:05 p.m.,...
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Tigers might be Indians' only competition in AL Central

Tigers might be Indians' only competition in AL Central
Stranger things have happened, but if Cleveland doesn't win the American League Central, it's an upset. The Indians have gone the longest - 68 years - without winning a World Series. Detroit has a dangerous offense. They have Justin Verlander, Jordan Zimmermann and Michael Fulmer leading their rotation. And the Tigers, despite not having a healthy Zimmermann, were in the playoff hunt until the final day of last season, when they were beaten 1-0 by Atlanta pitcher Julio Teheran. Kansas City...
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Indians' pitching staff expects to dominate AL Central

Indians' pitching staff expects to dominate AL Central
The Cleveland Indians, who lost the World Series to the Cubs in Game 7 last season, have the scariest rotation and the deepest bullpen in the American League Central. Who has the best chances to catch them? Maybe the Detroit Tigers, assuming health in their rotation and growth with their young guys. Former National Jordan Zimmermann had a strong start with his new team in 2016, but neck injuries slowed him the rest of the way. By all indications, Cleveland will run away with this...
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