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Twins continue O's slide

Jul 18, 2012 - 4:39 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Joe Mauer went 3-for-4 with an RBI as the Minnesota Twins took a 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles in the second of four games.

Ryan Doumit added two hits, two RBI and a run scored while Jamey Carroll was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Twins, who have taken the first two games of this set after dropping their previous five.

Samuel Deduno lasted just 4 1/3 innings in the start as he gave up four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with five walks and five strikeouts. Alex Burnett (3-2) got the win for pitching a scoreless seventh.

"We got some innings out of Deduno and then the bullpen was able to carry the rest," said Burnett. "We usually get a couple of days off so when we need to pick up some inning we're usually ready for it."

Adam Jones hit a three-run home run while Nick Markakis went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for the Orioles, who have dropped six of their last seven games. Zach Britton went just four-plus innings in his season-debut as he was touched for four runs on six hits with six walks. Luis Ayala (2-3) was handed the loss for giving up two runs in 2 2/3 innings.

"I struggled with my command tonight," said Britton. "I had a few tough innings there, but it will get better as the season goes along."

The game was tied going into the bottom of the seventh, but the Twins took the lead. With two outs, Carroll kept the inning alive with a single and Denard Span followed with a hit to short that saw J.J. Hardy throw the ball away and Carroll wind up on third. Pedro Strop then took over for Ayala and promptly gave up the go-ahead run on a single from Ben Revere. Mauer followed with an RBI single for a 6-4 advantage.

Glen Perkins struck out the side in the eighth while Jared Burton worked a scoreless ninth for his third save of the season.

A wild pitch by Deduno in the first scored Markakis to give Baltimore a 1-0 lead, but the Twins tied the game in the fourth as Carroll's double plated Doumit.

In the fifth, the Orioles went on top when Markakis and Jim Thome walked and Jones brought them both home with a blast over the right field wall, his 21st homer of the season.

The Twins, though, came right back in the bottom of the inning. Mauer singled to start the frame while Josh Willingham and Justin Morneau both walked to load the bases. Ayala then took the mound and got Trevor Plouffe to hit into a fielder's choice that saw Mauer forced out at home, but Doumit followed with a two-run single and Brian Dozier tied it with a single of his won.

Game Notes

Minnesota batted 5-for-16 with runners in scoring position, but left 14 men on base...Baltimore was 1-for-7 with RISP and left nine...Baltimore has won three of the five games against Minnesota this season...Britton was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday and the team placed second baseman Robert Andino on the 15-day disabled list. Also, Baltimore selected the contract of pitcher Brad Bergesen from Norfolk, optioned pitcher Miguel Socolovich to Norfolk and transferred infielder Nick Johnson to the 60-day disabled list.