Top Twins prospect Byron Buxton had a big night in Baltimore, scoring his first RBI in the majors – which turned out to be the game-winner – as Minnesota beat the Orioles 3-2 for their third straight win.
Buxton got the key hit in the seventh inning. He hit a line drive into left field that scored Torii Hunter to give Minnesota its first lead of the game, according to MLB.com.
Video: Byron Buxton after the first RBI and sacrifice bunt of his #MNTwins career. http://t.co/GgIvyRWKdj
— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) August 23, 2015
That was the second Twins run of the seventh. The first run was set up by a safety squeeze bunt by Kurt Suzuki. Eddie Rosario walked to start the inning and moved to third on a hit and run by Hunter.
Suzuki then bunted down the first-base line to bring in Rosario and tie the game at 2. Buxton came through with the go-ahead run two batters later, MLB.com reports.
Buxton has four hits in the series and has hit in 16 straight games this month, including his rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
A look at @OfficialBuck103 asking @toriihunter48 to sign his first RBI ball. #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/SKP81b4ihB
— Dustin Morse (@morsecode) August 23, 2015
Twins starter Kyle Gibson struggled again. He didn’t make it through the sixth inning – the fifth time since the All-Star break that’s happened, according to the Pioneer Press.
The bullpen combo of Casey Fien, Trevor May and Kevin Jepsen kept Baltimore scoreless for the final 3 1/3 innings. Jepsen got the save.
It was Baltimore’s sixth straight loss to Minnesota this season.
The win puts the Twins back over .500 with a record of 62-61; it came on manager Paul Molitor’s 59th birthday.
The Twins go for a sweep of the four-game series with the Orioles Sunday afternoon. Mike Pelfrey starts for Minnesota, facing Kevin Gausman for the Orioles.
