Twins 6, Orioles 4: Twins Saved by Bullpen, Mauer Once Again

Twins starter Samuel Deduno only lasted 4.1 innings tonight before leaving the game tied 4-to-4--but luckily, it just happened to be enough. The Twins bullpen was able to once again come through and pitch a scoreless 4.2 remaining innings for the Twins win. Oh, and Joe Mauer. He's good at baseball. He made a really great catch in the top of the 6th inning. Like, the best. Serious.

As for scoring, the Orioles got it started in the top of the first, when Twins starting pitcher Samuel Deduno threw a wild pick-off attempt to first base, followed by a wild pitch to home that scored an Orioles run. The Twins were behind 1-0 until the bottom of the 4th inning when Jamey Carroll drove in Ryan Doumit on a line-drive double. With the game 1-1, the Orioles fired up and scored 3 runs in the top of the 5th inning--answered quickly by a game-tying, 3-run bottom of the 5th, courtesy of a Joe Mauer single, Morneau and Willingham walks, and subsequent RBIs by Ryan Doumit and Brian Dozier singles.

The game stayed tied 4-4 until the bottom of the 7th inning, when Ben Revere drove in the winning run on a single, and some guy named Joe Mauer drove in Denard Span on another single. Piranhas baseball, or something.

Oh, and did I mention Joe Mauer made an awesome catch?

(P.S. - Now-Oriole Jim Thome walked three times and had no hits because every Twin was scared to pitch to him in this incredible Minnesota homerun-inducing heat.)

Studs and duds after the jump.

Studs:

• Joe Mauer: 3-for-4, 1 double, 1 walk, 1 RBI.
• Twins Bullpen: Combined 4.2 scoreless innings, with only 2 walks.