Saturday May 23 at the Twins

Opponent: Minnesota Twins
Outcome: W
Score: 11-8
Streak: W1
Record: 31-65
Rank: 7th
GB: 25

It was a wild one tonight at the Metrodome but if you got there late you missed all the fun.  The Orioles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on an Eddie Murray two run home run. 

The Twins came back though with three of their own.  Dan Gladden lead off with a single and stole second before scoring on Randy Bush's double.  Kirby Puckett followed with a single (moving Bush to third) and then he stole second as well.  Kent Hrbek grounded out to second for the first out of the game for the Twins but the runners advanced with Bush tying the game.  A Gary Gaetti single brought in Puckett with the Twins' third run.  The Orioles caught a break though when Gaetti was thrown out trying for the Twins' third stolen base of the inning before Tim Laudner lined out to end the inning.

The Twins' lead was short lived.  The Orioles got back to back walks to Jim Traber and Mickey Tettleton to start the second.  After Ken Gerhart struck out Rick Schu singled bringing Traber in with the tying run and moving Tettleton to third.  Schu was thrown out trying to steal for the second out of the inning, a decision that would prove costly as Joe Orsulak tripled to put the Birds up 4-3.  A Bill Ripken single brought Orsulak in with another run and after Cal Ripken walked, Twins manager Tom Kelly had seen enough from Bert Blyleven and went to the bullpen.  Eddie Murray greeted Mark Portugal with a three run home run (his second round tripper of the game) though and the Birds now lead 8-3.  Larry Sheets followed with a single before Traber grounded out to end the inning.

The Twins cut into the Orioles lead in the third inning when Bush hit a two run home run.  But the Orioles came back with three in the next inning.  With one out, Murray walked, went to second on a wild pitch and then scored on a single by Sheets.  Traber followed with a two run home run to make it 11-5 Orioles.

The Twins kept it interesting in the bottom of the fourth.  With one out they loaded the bases on a Laudner single and back to back walks to Greg Gagne and Al Newman.  Orioles manager Frank Robinson went to the bullpen and brought Mike Morgan in to relieve starter Oswaldo Peraza but Morgan issued the third consecutive walk of the inning to Gladden to force in a run.  He then gave up a two RBI single to Bush (who ended up with five RBI in the game) to bring the score to 11-8.  But Morgan settled down and struck out Puckett and got Hrbek to line out to end the inning with no further damage.

And that was that for the evening.  Neither team scored over the remaining five innings.  The Orioles mounted a couple of threats but ended up leaving 7 men on base.  The Twins on the other hand were held to only four baserunners the rest of the game on one hit, two walks and an error.