Twins 16, Orioles 7: A low-scoring affair

If you weren’t satisfied by three home runs earlier today, then this was the game for you. Thanks to a remarkable EIGHT homers, the Minnesota Twins handily dressed down the Baltimore Orioles and won their second straight game of the series.

Let’s get right down to it.

The Twins opened the scoring in the first with a two-run homer by Nelson Cruz. In the same inning, C.J. Cron hit his third bomb in a Twins uniform. In the third, Eddie Rosario hit his fifth homer in the last three games. Mitch Garver hit a three-run shot later in the inning.

Jonathan Schoop hit a three-run shot of his own in the fourth inning. At this point, five homers and a pair of RBI doubles had made it 13-0 Twins. Oriole starter Alex Cobb, along with most of the fans, had long since departed the ballgame.

But a couple of Twins weren’t done yet. In the eighth, both Mitch Garver and Nelson Cruz hit their second home runs of the game. And with struggling veteran hitter Chris Davis on the mound in the ninth, Schoop corked his second dinger of the game. Quite the return to one’s home ballpark.

Altogether, the Twins finished up the doubleheader with a combined eleven home runs, second only to the 1963 Twins for most times going yard in a single afternoon of baseball.

Less attention was paid to the pitching tonight, but Martin Perez threw six innings and was tagged for four runs; Fernando Romero gave up three runs in two innings of work. It wasn’t a stellar evening on the rubber for anyone, but it was a passable “number five starter” kind of a start for Perez.

It’ll be slightly cooler tomorrow, but Minnesota’s revamped offense has kicked it into gear against Baltimore, and will no doubt try to launch some more balls into the seats to complete the sweep tomorrow afternoon.

Studs:

C Mitch Garver (3-for-6, 2 HR, 5 RBI)

DH Nelson Cruz (4-for-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI)

LF Eddie Rosario (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI)

2B Jonathan Schoop (3-for-5, 2 HR, 4BI)

Duds:

No duds! Twins win!

Robot Roll Call: