Streak ends as Zimmermann is solid and clutch hits arrive

On a night they ended a long losing streak, the Orioles got contributions just about everywhere they looked. There was a big inning plus some add-on runs. There were clutch hits and homers. Their starter allowed just one run and the bullpen was dependable at times. For good measure, they threw in a solid defensive play or two.

And one spectacular catch by Cedric Mullins.

The Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins 7-4 to win for the first time since May 16, over two weeks ago. They ended a 14-game losing streak and a 16-game losing streak versus Minnesota.

The fun was back tonight.

For the eighth time 11 games, the Orioles scored first tonight. For the first time in that stretch, they won. Mullins led off the last of the first with his third triple and scored on Trey Mancini's single for the lead.

But as had happened often the last few weeks, a lead didn't hold, as Twins outfielder Kyle Garlick homered in the third off lefty Bruce Zimmermann for a 1-1 tie. But the Orioles scored four runs on five hits in the last of the third to lead 5-1, and this time, the advantage held up.

Mullins keyed this rally, too with, a single and stolen base. Mancini drove him in again for a 2-1 lead. Mancini began the night batting .355 with runners in scoring position and then went 2-for-2 in that department in the first three innings. The O's then would add to that lead. Freddy Galvis singled in a run, another scored on DJ Stewart's RBI groundout and they moved ahead 5-1 on Ryan Mountcastle's booming ground-rule double to center field.

After going 1-for-32 with runners in scoring position their past five games, and 5-for-64 in the last eight, the Orioles began tonight going 4-for-6 with RISP in three innings. Averaging 3.74 runs per game this year, they scored four in the third and led 5-1.

They would add on with solo homers from Pedro Severino in the fourth and Maikel Franco in the sixth. Severino had gone 31 games since his first and only other homer on April 8. Franco blasted No. 6 a distance of 434 feet to make their lead 7-2 in the sixth.

In the Twins third, with a man on first and two outs, Nelson Cruz blasted a ball to deep center. Mullins went racing back to the track and made a lunging catch, a spectacular play to keep the game tied at 1-1. Moments later, the Orioles would break that tie and take the lead for good tonight.

Zimmermann gave up two runs or less for the third time in his last four outings. He gave up one run in his last start against the White Sox and two runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings tonight with two walks and seven strikeouts. Zimmermann is now 3-3 with an ERA of 4.96 after an 87-pitch outing.

Zimmermann got a season- and career-high 19 swings and misses among 41 swings against him tonight. He got whiffs on nine of 10 swings at his slider and his fastball topped out at 94 mph.

So the Orioles are back in the win column tonight, improving to 18-37, and won for just the second time in 20 games and third time in the last 24. They are 7-19 at home and beat Minnesota for the first time since March 29, 2018.

The Twins had won eight of 11 games coming into this game and fall to 22-32 overall and to 10-15 on the road.

For now, the Orioles' club record 21-game losing streak that began the 1988 season is safe.