Dozier, Twins Finish Sweep of Orioles With 5-3 Win

“I know when I hit the ball, ” Sano said of his understated home run celebration.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Bud Norris hangs his head in the dugout after the sixth inning where he ga … Sano has at least one hit in all seven games since his promotion from Double-A Chattanooga and has been retired only four times in the last four games. “I feel like I was overthinking the first three innings”, Chen said.

“We don’t want to get out there too far”, Molitor said, “but when you look at what he’s done to this point, you are encouraged about his ability to hit at this level”. From a baseball sense however, he was a clear downgrade in the outfield, and his bat absolutely needed to play to put weight to the move. 167 with one homer.

The 6-foot-4, 262-pounder’s route to the majors was slowed by Tommy John surgery in 2014, but he was promoted to provide some pop for a slumping offense when he was recalled from Double-A Chattanooga last week.

In the opener of a three-game series, Chris Tillman is scheduled to start for the Orioles Friday, opposite Tanner Roark of the visiting Washington Nationals. In the 4th, Hicks was caught stealing 2nd before Eric Fryer singled, so no damage was done that inning either.

Joe Mauer went 2 for 4 with three runs and is batting. After getting sent down to Triple-A Rochester early in 2015, he has since come back with a vengeance.

“So many times people just think command shows up in walk totals, ” Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. “He was in-between those two tonight”. The Orioles struck first when Machado drove Phil Hughes’ second pitch into the seats in right-center for his fourth leadoff home run of the season and 18th overall.

It was not a sharp start for Jimenez, allowing seven hits and three walks, but had his team in position to win when he left the ballgame.

The Orioles promoted Christian Walker from Triple-A Norfolk before the contest, and he started as the designated hitter for the ball club on Wednesday. “””(Norris) shook once; I guess he was feeling good about his fastball, but he left it up in the zone right over the middle”. Paredes grounded out, second baseman Dozier to first baseman Plouffe.

A bulldozer was stationed outside Target Field on the stadium plaza with the sign “No Bull, (hash)VoteDozier”.

Baltimore, which began the series tied with the Twins for the second wild-card spot in the AL, was swept in a three-game series for just the second time this season and the first since losing three to the Toronto Blue Jays April 21-23.

Minnesota and Baltimore both rank in the top 10 of the league in hits.

For Mauer, the homer was his sixth of the season in his 84th game.

“For Dozier, winning the Final Five vote would be recognition of his status as the Twins”™ most risky hitter, and best all-around player.

THE UGLY: Chris Parmelee is 0-for-14 in his last five games.

Minnesota took advantage of Baltimore’s inability to take the early lead, posting a pair of crooked numbers through the first four innings. 156 in 25 games. They’ve allowed 2.9 runs per game during that span, which is lower than their season average of 3.9. 299 in Triple-A.