After a day off Friday due to rain, the Twins worked off the rust in a 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader. Once the bats were warm, then they really went to work.
Nelson Cruz started things off with a two-run home run in Game 2 and the Twins were off and running. When it was all over, they scored 16 runs on 19 hits, including eight — eight! — home runs. And this was in addition to the three home runs the Twins hit in the first game. Cruz hit two home runs, Mitch Garver hit two as well and Jonathan Schoop added two more, including a solo shot off first baseman, Chris Davis, who was called on to pitch the final inning of the game.
But as impressive as that was, the day belonged to left fielder Eddie Rosario, who went 5-for-9 with three home runs. Rosario is now hitting .300 with nine home runs, 15 runs scored and 20 RBI.
“I don’t know that you can get much hotter than he is,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told MLB.com.
In Game 2 alone, seven Twins had multiple hits.
The Twins go for the sweep on Sunday. Kyle Gibson gets the ball.
Extra innings…
-Both starting pitchers did enough to win on Saturday. Berrios improved to 3-1 after the Game 1 victory, while Martin Perez, who was handed a 13-run lead before the Orioles scored in the bottom of the fourth, is now 2-0. Berrios wasn’t at his sharpest. He struck out five over six innings, but he also walked three batters and gave up three home runs. He also threw 104 pitches. Berrios, however, did pick off a runner at first base.
-Rosario was all-world on Saturday. In addition to hitting three home runs, he also assisted in throwing out a runner at home and robbed a home run from Chris Davis.
-Not to be forgotten: C.J. Cron and Willians Astudillo also homered on Saturday.
Twins hit 11 home runs (including a franchise record-tying eight in Game 2), give up six, and sweep a doubleheader from the Orioles, 6-5 and 16-7. They've won seven of their last eight games in Camden Yards.
— Phil Miller (@MillerStrib) April 21, 2019