MINNEAPOLIS — Byron Buxton drove a two-strike slider from Orioles closer Jorge Lopez into the left-field seats in the bottom of the ninth inning, providing a dramatic finish — and a 3-2 Twins victory — to a game that included little offense until that final swing.
Minnesota strung together three hits and a walk in the first inning on Friday, with the last of the hits — Jose Miranda's ground-ball single to shallow left field — driving home Luis Arraez with a run. But Carlos Correa was thrown out at the plate on the play, ending the threat and grinding the Twins offense to a halt.
No other Twins batter reached base over the next seven innings, not a strange occurrence for a team that had scored one run or fewer three times in its previous four home games. Right-hander Spencer Watkins retired 15 Twins hitters in order, the Orioles bullpen recorded six more without allowing a ball to leave the infield, and Baltimore appeared ready to hand the Twins their third consecutive loss.
