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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The last time a player homered twice in a
game for Minnesota, the Twins were 15 games out of first place.
|  | | Doug Mientkiewicz had the first multihomer game of his career, with two shots for four RBI. |
Doug Mientkiewicz's two homers on Friday night helped Minnesota open a four-game lead in the AL Central. He had four RBI as the Twins beat the Baltimore Orioles 6-3 -- their ninth win in 10 home games this year.
"Doug gave us a cushion to work with early, and gave us some insurance at the end," said Twins manager Tom Kelly, who took notice of the 24,369 in attendance.
"It was a really good night," Kelly said. "It's nice to see some fans in the stands, and, hopefully, we gave them a good show."
Cal Ripken was back in Baltimore's lineup after being benched in
three of the previous five games and went 2-for-4, hitting a
ninth-inning solo homer against Bob Wells.
Ripken, 40, has homered in the past two games he's played, batting 4-for-8 with four RBI. He is batting .183 this season with two homers and 10 RBI.
Minnesota's 16-5 start is its best since 1972.
"My only expectations are to play good and learn each day, and
we're doing that," Kelly said.
Delino DeShields homered twice for Baltimore off Joe Mays (3-1), who allowed four hits in seven innings.
Mays, fighting a cold, retired his final 13 batters, and Wells
and LaTroy Hawkins finished the six-hitter. Hawkins got the last
out for his seventh save in seven chances.
"In between coughing and hacking in the dugout, Joe gave us seven good innings," Kelly said. "So he pitched a nice game under some adverse circumstances."
Mientkiewicz hit a three-run homer in the first off Jose Mercedes (0-4) and later hit a solo shot in the sixth for the first multihomer game of his career. He has five homers this season.
"We were trying to pitch around Mientkiewicz with first base open," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "We didn't really want to give him anything really good to hit. If it had gone to ball two with him, we probably would have gone ahead and put him on, but we didn't get to ball two."
After the first homer by DeShields, Minnesota's first four
batters reached. Matt Lawton hit an RBI double, Corey Koskie singled home the go-ahead run and Mientkiewicz connected, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
DeShields connected again in the third for the third multihomer game of his career.
"I was just swinging the bat," DeShields said. "It seems like I see Mays pretty good. I hit him pretty good in spring training, but I'd rather go 0-for-4 and get a win."
Mercedes allowed nine hits in his second complete game, his
first since a two-hitter against Detroit last Aug. 30.
Game notes
Kelly said that SS Cristian Guzman may return to the Twins'
lineup for Saturday's game. Guzman has been out of the lineup for a
week after dislocating a finger while sliding into a base versus
the White Sox last Saturday ... The Orioles have been out of games
early this season. Friday's loss dropped them to 0-9 when trailing
after six innings, and 0-13 when trailing after seven ... Mays has
allowed at least one first-inning run in three consecutive starts
... All five of Mientkiewicz's home runs this season have been hit
at the Metrodome, where he is batting .444 ... With Friday's loss,
Baltimore's team batting average fell to a league-worst .224.
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RECAPS
Boston 9
Kansas City 2
Texas 11
Cleveland 9
Detroit 4
Tampa Bay 2
NY Yankees 3
Oakland 2
Toronto 12
Anaheim 4
Seattle 8
Chi. White Sox 3
Minnesota 6
Baltimore 3
Florida 9
Houston 8
Montreal 6
Milwaukee 1
St. Louis 9
NY Mets 0
Cincinnati 12
Colorado 9
Atlanta 9
Arizona 0
Pittsburgh 3
San Diego 0
Chicago Cubs 7
San Francisco 3
Los Angeles 4
Philadelphia 3
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