Machado and Paredes errors lead to winning run in 12th as Twins sweep O's

Swept away, four in a row by the Minnesota Twins.

The Twins, who had lost 22 of their previous 35 games when they arrived in Baltimore, used two infield errors to push across the winning run in the top of the 12th today. Minnesota beat the Orioles 4-3 to complete its first four-game sweep in Baltimore since Aug. 23-26, 2007.

Errors by Manny Machado, who was playing shortstop, and Jimmy Paredes, who was in at third, put the Twins ahead in the 12th. Paredes entered the game as a pinch-runner for J.J. Hardy in the last of the 11th and went in at third base, with Machado moving to short for the first time in his major league career.

But with one out, a grounder went under Machado's glove and Eduardo Escobar reached on the two-base error. He scored on a the two-out error that deflected off Paredes' glove and into short left field.

The Orioles went to the ninth with a 3-2 lead, but the Twins rallied to tie it as Zach Britton suffered his third blown save. Brian Dozier led off with an infield single to first base and it looked like Britton was late covering the bag on a close play. That proved big as Dozier advanced to second with one out and scored on Trevor Plouffe's two-out single to left. The Twins were an out away from losing when Plouffe tied it at 3-3.

The Orioles go 0-7 against the Twins in 2015 and have lost eight in a row overall to Minnesota. The O's completed a 5-5 homestand, with five losses in the last six games. They now head to Kansas City and Texas with a record of 62-61.

Kevin Gausman has struggled in the first inning at times this year and today he gave up a two-run homer in that inning to Miguel Sano. Sano hit No. 11 to right field on a first-pitch 96 mph fastball. It followed a bloop two-out double by Joe Mauer and made it 2-0. Gausman has a 9.90 ERA in the opening frame, allowing five of his 10 homers.

But the Orioles rallied to get the lead. Gerardo Parra led off the third with a double and scored on Jonathan Schoop's two-out single to right. The Orioles stranded six runners in the first three innings and were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position until Schoop's single.

Two innings later, Schoop's two-out, two-run single off Mike Pelfrey gave the Orioles a 3-2 lead. Adam Jones singled with one out and went to third on Steve Clevenger's ground-rule double. Jones likely would have scored if the double didn't bounce over the wall, but he came in anyway on Schoop's hit.

Through the fifth today, the Orioles went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position with Schoop 2-for-2 and everyone else 0-for-7. Schoop had no RBIs his last eight games before today.

After he gave up a single in the first following Sano's homer, Gausman retired 17 consecutive Twins hitters. The streak ended on an error - not a hit or walk - as Machado's throwing error allowed Plouffe to reach second with one out in the seventh. But a strikeout and flyout followed as he was stranded there.

So Gausman retired 19 of the last 20 he faced and did not give up a hit after the first inning. Over seven frames, he didn't walk a batter and fanned eight to tie his career high, throwing 105 pitches. This was a much better start than he had July 7 at Minnesota when he gave up eight runs in 3 2/3 innings. In eight games at home this year, Gausman has pitched to an ERA of 2.19 and has recorded quality starts in five of five starts.

The Orioles begin a four-game series at Kansas City tomorrow night when Ubaldo Jimenez (9-7, 3.97 ERA) pitches against right-hander Kris Medlen (1-0, 2.51 ERA).