Orioles at Twins
The Minnesota Twins are pounding Baltimore Orioles pitching this weekend, with an early barrage leading to a win on Friday and a late storm leading to a rout on Saturday. The Twins will try to polish off a three-game sweep and make it six wins over the Orioles in 10 days when they host the series finale on Sunday.
Minnesota slugged back-to-back-to-back homers in the first inning on Friday and totaled five in the game in a 6-1 triumph but did not get the bats cranking until the late innings in Saturday's victory. The Twins, who swept a three-game set at Baltimore last weekend, waited until the sixth inning on Saturday to hit their first but still finished with five homers as C.J. Cron, Max Kepler (twice), Marwin Gonzalez and Jason Castro each went deep against the Orioles bullpen. Baltimore, which ranks last in the majors in runs allowed (180) and home runs allowed (69), dropped six of its last eight games and surrendered at least six runs in five of those six setbacks. Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy will try to keep the ball in the yard when he opposes Minnesota righty Kyle Gibson on Sunday.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Baltimore), FS North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Dylan Bundy (0-3, 6.56 ERA) vs. Twins RH Kyle Gibson (1-0, 6.10)
Bundy kept Minnesota in the park last Sunday but still suffered the loss, allowing four runs - two earned - and seven hits in six innings while walking one and striking out four. The 26-year-old yielded four homers in a start at home against Oakland on April 11 and is up to seven in 23 1/3 innings on the season. Bundy is still looking for his first win and is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in two road outings.
Gibson matched up against Bundy last Sunday in Baltimore and came away with the win while allowing two runs and five hits in six innings. The Missouri product struck out six and did not walk a batter in that outing after issuing eight free passes over 14 2/3 innings in his first three turns. Gibson struck out nine in seven innings while surrendering three runs to earn a home win over the Orioles last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Twins CF Byron Buxton (leg) was held out of the starting lineup on Saturday but entered late and scored a run.
2. Baltimore OF/1B Trey Mancini (hand) left Saturday's game but had x-rays come back negative and is day-to-day.
3. Kepler is 4-for-8 with three homers and five RBIs in the series.