Minnesota rallies to beat Orioles, improving to 6-0 against Birds

Chris Tillman looked to be pitching a strong game. The Orioles took the lead by one run twice. But once again, they could not beat the Minnesota Twins.

Minnesota rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh to beat the Orioles 3-2 at Camden Yards. The Twins are 3-0 in this series and 6-0 this season against the Orioles. They have outscored the Orioles 39-15 and have won all four games between the teams decided by two runs or less.

This long homestand that produced a promising 4-0 start has now seen the Orioles lose four of their last five games to fall to 62-60 for the season. The loss dropped the Orioles six games behind first-place New York in the American League East. The Orioles are 17-21 in one-run games.

The O's went ahead 1-0 in the second when Steve Clevenger singled with one out and advanced to second on a groundout. He scored on Henry Urrutia's two-out double to left. It was Urrutia's first career double and his sixth RBI in his seventh Orioles game of 2015. The double gave Urrutia five hits in eight at-bats with runners in scoring position since joining the club.

Tillman took a a one-hit shutout to the sixth and had retired 14 in a row, but No. 9 hitter Eduardo Escobar led off with a double and scored on Brian Dozier's single to tie the game at 1-1.

The O's got the run and lead back in the last of the sixth. Chris Davis drew a leadoff walk from Kyle Gibson and went to second on Matt Wieters' single. After Jonathan Schoop's sac bunt advanced both runners, Clevenger was intentionally walked. Then J.J. Hardy ended an eight-pitch at-bat with a sac fly to right on a 3-2 pitch. That gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead. Reliever Casey Fien came on and struck out Manny Machado as the O's left the bases loaded.

But the pesky Twins scratched out two runs in the seventh to claim a 3-2 lead using a safety squeeze and a hit-and-run single to help get the job done. After a one-out walk to Eddie Rosario, Torii Hunter singled to right with Rosario running on the pitch to set up a first-and-third situation.

Catcher Kurt Suzuki then dropped the sac bunt to advance both runners and tie the game at 2-2. With two outs and two on, O's reliever Brad Brach faced Byron Buxton. The Twins leadoff hitter singled to left to provide a 3-2 lead.

Tillman took the loss to fall to 9-8 with an ERA of 4.51, giving up three runs over 6 2/3 innings. Tillman was 7-0 over his previous 12 starts and this is his first loss since May 31, snapping a seven-decision win streak that tied a career high.

The Orioles have scored three runs or less 21 times their last 40 games and are 9-44 when scoring three or less this season. In the series and homestand finale on Sunday, Kevin Gausman (2-5, 4.48 ERA) pitches against right-hander Mike Pelfrey (6-7, 3.62 ERA).