Twins rebound from Atlanta sweep and pound Orioles 8-1 with homers by Gallo, Kepler and Buxton
Joey Gallo, Max Kepler and Byron Buxton homered to help Minnesota break out of its offensive funk, and Pablo López allowed three hits in six innings for the Twins in an 8-1 rout of the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night.
After scoring just three runs in a three-game sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves — and closing the clubhouse after the finale for a team meeting — the Twins scored in each of the first four innings at Camden Yards. Gallo hit a solo homer in the second, and Kepler's two-run shot in the third made it 5-0.
López (4-5) allowed a sixth-inning homer to Adley Rutschman for Baltimore's only run. He struck out six and walked three. Minnesota is still a game under .500, but the Twins moved a game ahead of Cleveland atop the AL Central.
Minnesota went 0 for 23 with runners in scoring position in that series at Atlanta. The Twins came through in their very first opportunity in Baltimore — when Royce Lewis hit a broken-bat single to drive in a run in the first.
Dean Kremer (8-4) lasted three-plus innings, allowing seven runs and seven hits. After Gallo's second-inning homer, Alex Kirilloff made it 3-0 with an RBI single in the third. Then Kepler went deep.
Kremer was pulled after starting the fourth with a walk and a hit batter, and Buxton connected later that inning off Bruce Zimmermann for his 14th homer of the year, a three-run shot that made it 8-0.
The start of the game was delayed 1 hour, 26 minutes because of rain.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Twins: López was hit by Austin Hays' comebacker in the second, but stayed in the game.
Orioles: Baltimore put LHP Keegan Akin (lower back discomfort) on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Thursday. The Orioles recalled LHP Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk. ... Manager Brandon Hyde said RHP Dillon Tate (right elbow flexor strain) will get a second opinion, and the team hopes he can go out on a rehab assignment after that. RHP Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) was to play catch Friday, with a plan to send him to Florida next week with rehab games after the All-Star break. ... C James McCann (left ankle sprain) is expected to catch nine innings Saturday and Sunday for a minor league affiliate. ... RHP Austin Voth (right elbow discomfort) is expected to throw a side session Sunday.
UP NEXT
Kyle Bradish (4-3) takes the mound for the Orioles on Saturday against Bailey Ober (4-4) of the Twins. Bradish allowed two hits in seven innings against Seattle in his most recent start.