Notes from the O's 7-3 win in game one at Minnesota

The Orioles are now 7-5 over the last 12 games after beating Minnesota 7-3 today in game one of a day/night doubleheader. They improve to 9-21 on the year, 2-3 on this road trip and 5-13 in road games on the season. A win tonight or tomorrow would give the Orioles just their second series victory of 2010. The O's overcame their 2-0, first-inning deficit to win and won for the first time this year (now 1-11) when their opponent scored first in the game. Winning pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, now 1-4, 4.67, gave up three runs over 6 2/3 for his fifth quality start in seven outings on the year. Guthrie has allowed 3 ER or less in five of seven 2010 starts and today picked up his first win since last September 6 vs. Texas. He is now 2-0, 3.10 in three career starts vs. the Twins. O's offense: *9 runs scored in first four games of road trip *7 runs scored today vs. Twins The O's bullpen posted 2 1/3 shutout innings in the win and the O's pen has not allowed an earned run over the last three games, covering nine innings. The O's pen ERA over the last six games is just 0.64 (1 ER over 14 IP). The O's bullpen ERA has gone under 4.00 for the first time this year at 3.92 after today's game one. This was the fourth time this year the O's scored seven or more runs in a game: 4-18 O's win 8-3 at Oakland 4-25 O's win 7-6 (10) at Boston 5-1 O's win 12-9 at home vs. Boston After going 0 for 18 with runners in scoring position over the last four games, the O's went 8 for 16 with RISP in the win. That is their most hits on the year in those situations, the previous best had been five hits. Losing pitcher Francisco Liriano, who entered with an ERA of 1.50, saw it go up to 2.36 as he took his first loss of the year. Liriano allowed 5 ER today in 6 innings and that is more earned runs then he allowed in April when he gave up just 3 ER over 29 innings. Julio Lugo went 3 for 5 with an RBI. It's his second straight three-hit game and he now has seven hits in his last 13 at bats. Nick Markakis drove in three for his second multi-RBI game after his 5-RBI game of May 1 vs. Boston. Markakis is now batting .448 (13 for 29) during an eight-game hitting streak. Miguel Tejada went 0 for 5 as his seven-game hitting streak ended. He batted .462 during the streak. Ty Wigginton drove in a run today and has 5 RBI over his last three games and 8 RBI over his past seven contests.