BALTIMORE — Ryan Jeffers hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the sixth inning and the surging Minnesota Twins defeated the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.
The Twins have won 12 of 13 to move six games over .500 (15-9) and into first place in the AL Central, which does not have another team with a winning record. Minnesota has outscored the opposition 63-25 during its 13-game run, including 25-7 during its current four-game win streak.
This game was tied at 2 before the Twins took control in the sixth. Gary Sanchez hit a one-out double off Joey Krehbiel (1-3), Trevor Larnich walked and Jeffers followed with a drive over the centerfield wall. He has three home runs this season, all in his last seven games.
Minnesota pulled away with a two-run ninth that featured an RBI double by Byron Buxton.
Twins starter Joe Ryan gave up two runs in 4 2/3 innings. He was followed by Caleb Thielbar (1-0), the first of three Minnesota relievers.
Trey Mancini had two hits and an RBI for the last-place Orioles, who have dropped seven of nine. Bruce Zimmermann worked five innings for Baltimore, allowing two runs and four hits.
Minnesota went up 1-0 in the fourth inning when Zimmermann issued a two-out walk and José Miranda followed with a double to center, his first major league hit and RBI.
Miranda, a cousin of “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, is a 23-year-old infielder and the team's minor league player of the year in 2021. He was 0 for 4 in his debut Monday.
Ryan entered the bottom half with a chance to extend his run of consecutive scoreless innings to 21, a Twins record for a rookie starter. But Austin Hays led off with an infield hit, took third on a double by Rougned Odor and scored when shortstop Carlos Correa mishandled a grounder.
Jorge Polanco hit an RBI single in top of the fifth, and Trey Mancini did the same in the Orioles' half.
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