Twins' Ervin Santana blanks O's on two hits in 2-0 victory

Minnesota Twins right-hander Ervin Santana began tonight with a road ERA of 0.45 through three starts on the year away from Target Field.

Tonight he lowered it.

Using a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a very effective three-pitch mix, Santana threw a complete-game two-hitter at the Orioles in the Twins' 2-0 win, besting Dylan Bundy in a pitchers' duel.

Santana needed just 105 pitches to record his second shutout of the year. The earlier one was a one-hitter against the White Sox on April 15. Tonight was the fifth time this year he has allowed two or fewer hits in a start, and he improves to 7-2 with a 1.80 ERA.

The Orioles got only singles, by Welington Castillo in the second and Jonathan Schoop in the fifth. They had one runner all night reach past first base. Santana retired the last 14 O's to face him.

In four 2017 road starts, Santana is 4-0 with an ERA of 0.31, allowing one run over 29 innings. This was Santana's 18th career complete game and his 10th shutout.

The Orioles fall to 25-19 and have lost three in a row, five of seven and nine of their past 12. Minnesota is 24-18 and 13-5 on the road.

Santana outdueled Bundy. Over seven innings, Bundy gave up six hits and two runs, and recorded three walks and seven strikeouts. The seven innings ties his season-high for the fourth time. Bundy is 5-3 with an 2.92 ERA. He threw 107 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Tonight he recorded a quality start for the ninth time in 10 outings. He began today tied for second in the majors with eight. Bundy has allowed two earned runs or fewer seven times in 10 starts.

The scoreless tie was broken in the top of the fifth after Jorge Polanco drew a leadoff walk from Bundy. No. 8 hitter Jason Castro singled and the Twins had runners at first and third. Then No. 9 hitter Byron Buxton singled to left, giving Minnesota a 1-0 lead. Batting .172 at gametime, Buxton got his sixth RBI tonight.

Bundy deftly pitched out of further trouble there with the help of a liner to center that Adam Jones short-hopped and turned into an 8-4 forceout at second base.

But the Twins doubled their lead on a Brian Dozier solo homer with two outs in the seventh. He hit No. 6 on a 1-1 Bundy 91 mph fastball for the 2-0 lead. The ball just cleared the wall down the left-field line at 370 feet.

In the series finale on Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 p.m., Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman (1-0, 3.52 ERA) makes his fourth start and faces Minnesota right-hander José Berrios (2-0, 0.59 ERA) who will be making his third.