The Orioles have gone 14-6 against the Twins dating back to April 19, 2011 and are 10-5 at Target Field since it opened in 2010.
Will they continue to trend upward?
Will Ubaldo Jimenez win his first game with the Orioles?
Stay tuned.
Manny Machado is starting at third base and batting second again tonight. Steve Pearce gets another start at first base.
The Orioles confirmed that they recalled reliever Brad Brach from Triple-A Norfolk. He's wearing No. 35.
For the Orioles
Nick Markakis RF
Manny Machado 3B
Nelson Cruz LF
Adam Jones CF
Matt Wieters C
J.J. Hardy SS
Delmon Young DH
Steve Pearce 1B
Jonathan Schoop 2B
Ubaldo Jimenez RHP
For the Twins
Brian Dozier 2B
Joe Mauer 1B
Trevor Plouffe 3B
Chris Colabello RF
Jason Kubel LF
Josmil Pinto DH
Kurt Suzuki C
Sam Fuld CF
Eduardo Escobar SS
Ricky Nolasco RHP
The Orioles' pregame notes are full of goodies. Such as:
Wieters, who hit his third career walk-off home run last night in Game 2, has five multi-hit games in his last six contests since April 20 and is batting .393 (11-for-28) with two doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs.
Since the start of the 2012 season, Jones has hit in all 13 games against the Twins while batting .411 (23-for-56) with five doubles, a triple, four home runs, 13 RBIs and 12 runs scored. At Target Field since the start of 2012, Jones is batting .375 (12-for-32) with two doubles, a triple, three homers and seven RBIs.
Markakis recorded multi-hit games in all six games versus the Twins last year, going batting .538 (14-for-26) with four doubles. Since the start of the 2012 season, he's batting .519 (27-for-52) with four doubles, a triple, two homers and eight RBIs in 13 games against the Twins.
Markakis has 10 multi-hit games in that span.
Markakis homered in both ends of yesterday's doubleheader, the first time he's gone deep in consecutive games since May 22-23, 2013 and the 12th time in his career. He's never homered in three straight games.
As for tonight's matchup, Markakis is 0-for-10 lifetime against Nolasco.
Last night, Tommy Hunter became the first Orioles reliever to notch a save and a win in the same doubleheader since Jorge Julio on Aug. 3, 2004 against the Mariners, according to Elias. The last major leaguer to do it was the Phillies' Jonathan Papelbon on Sept. 9, 2012 against the Rockies.
According to baseball-reference.com, Hunter was the first to do it facing three or fewer batters since the Twins' Ray Corbin on July 26, 1973 against the Athletics.
The Orioles and Twins lead the majors with eight outfield assists.
The Orioles have had 14 of their first 26 games decided by one (6-3) or two (2-3) runs.
Update: Pitcher Kevin Gausman was placed on the minor league disabled list, retroactive to April 30, with a left intercostal strain. Infielder Steve Lombardozzi, who's heading to Norfolk, has been placed on the active roster.
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