Kepler, Lynn Lead Twins Past Orioles 6-2
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Lance Lynn bounced back from two poor starts, Max Kepler homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-2 Friday night.
Joe Mauer, Eddie Rosario, Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver each had two hits for the Twins, who have won two straight after a six-game skid.
Caleb Joseph had a season-high three hits for the Orioles, losers of four straight and 11 of 12.
Lynn (6-7) allowed six hits and one earned run in six innings as he continued his up-and-down season. He allowed 11 earned runs in 6 2/3 innings over his previous two starts, including seven in 1 2/3 innings last Sunday at Wrigley Field. His ERA was 1.74 ERA in six starts from May 22 to June 20, but 7.47 in his first eight starts of the season.
Up 6-0, Lynn needed 27 pitches to get through the sixth when Baltimore scored its first run, but a double play and ground out ended the threat.
In his first start since going on the disabled list June 23 with a left ankle sprain, Baltimore's Dylan Bundy (6-8) allowed nine hits and five earned runs in 3 1/3 innings. It is his second-shortest start of the season. The right-hander allowed seven runs without recording an out May 8 vs. Kansas City.
Brian Dozier and Polanco had RBI singles in the first inning as Minnesota jumped out to a 3-0 lead, increasing Bundy's opening frame ERA to 9.00. It is 3.13 in innings two through nine.
Kepler made it 5-0 in the fourth with a two-run homer to right field and Mauer singled in a run three batters later to end Bundy's night.
CAVE CATCHES, PART II
For the second straight game, Jake Cave robbed an Orioles player of an extra-base hit.
Tim Beckham hit the first pitch of the game to the deepest part of Target Field, but Cave, in center field, raced to the wall, leapt, reached back and caught the ball while fully extended to deny a home run.
Cave made a fully extended catch at the wall in right-center Thursday to take a hit from Chris Davis.
TRAINERS ROOM
Orioles: To make room for Bundy, RHP David Hess was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. . INF Luis Sardiñas (left ankle sprain) was reinstated from the 60-day disabled list. He cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Norfolk.
Twins: Manager Paul Molitor said there is a "really good chance" INF Ehire Adrianza, out since July 2 with a left hamstring strain, will be ready to play when he can come off the DL next Thursday. ... INF/OF Taylor Motter was activated off the 7-day DL (concussion-like symptoms) and optioned to Triple-A Rochester.
UP NEXT
A pair of right-handers are scheduled to start Saturday with Baltimore's Kevin Gausman (4-6, 4.05) facing Minnesota's Kyle Gibson (2-6, 3.58). Gausman has allowed two or fewer runs in four straight starts. Gibson has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last nine turns.
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