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Jones' homer in seventh lifts Orioles

Jun 5, 2008 - 9:55 PM By Anthony Maggio PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Pitching, timely hitting, defense.

Baltimore Orioles manager Dave Trembley said "take your pick" of the three keys following his team's 3-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday at the Metrodome.

Garrett Olson had another solid start, the bullpen picked him up late, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis both homered and Baltimore picked up a timely double play to win the rubber game of its three-game series that kicked off a nine-game road trip.

The Orioles won their first series against the Twins since May 9-11, 2005 at Baltimore to snap a string of six straight losing series and capture just their second road series in their last seven overall away from Camden Yards.

"A real gritty performance," Trembley said. "We're trying to emulate a lot of things (the Twins) do and our club came ready to play today."

On a roll of late, Adam Jones continued his stellar play at plate with the game on the line. Leading off the seventh inning, the 22-year-old homered off Brian Bass (2-2) to snap a 2-2 tie.

It was Jones' first home run since May 1 and gave him eight RBI in his last six games following a

nine-game stretch with just one run driven in. Coming off an 0-for-4 night with two strikeouts on Wednesday, Trembley was impressed.

"Jones has been the kind of guy, he bounces back from bad games," Trembley said. "I don't know how he does it, he's just mentally tough kid and he did it again today."

Jones ended up finishing with his third multi-hit game in his last five, batting .368 (7-for-19) in that span.

With his father, Ken, in the stands, Olson (5-1) allowed two runs and eight hits with a walk and a strikeout for his fourth win in his last six starts.

After walking Nick Punto with one out in the seventh, Olson was pulled in favor of righthander Matt Albers, who worked around a single to get Alexi Casilla - who had hits in his three previous at-bats - to ground into an inning-ending double play to preserve the 3-2 lead.

"That's probably the best turn I've seen (Brian) Roberts make," Trembley said of his second baseman.

Jim Johnson worked a scoreless eighth despite a pair of singles and closer George Sherrill pitched around a one-out double from Nick Punto in the ninth inning for his 20th save in 22 chances.

"Our bullpen has been great all year, the pitching staff has been great all year," Markakis said. "I don't think we could ask much more from them."

Markakis and Jones provided all the offense Baltimore would need, as it improved to 4-21 when scoring three runs or less this season.

Roberts hit a one-out double in the third inning and Markakis followed with his 10th home run of the season in a nine-pitch at-bat with Twins starter Scott Baker for a 2-1 lead. The Orioles' right fielder finished with a pair of hits to extend his hitting streak to eight games.

Markakis has three RBI in his last two games after driving in just two in his previous 14 contests.

However, it was the only runs that Baltimore would score off Baker, who made his first appearance since May 3, when he aggravated a sore right groin muscle he originally injured April 26 against Texas. The righthander allowed two runs and five hits with a walk and three strikeouts in five innings.

"I guess for a first outing back, that's not necessarily a bad thing," Baker said. "You just try to do the best you can. Thankfully I was pain free, and that was probably the most important thing."

Minnesota tied the contest when Casilla's RBI single plated Punto in the fifth, but the Twins failed to cash in on any more of their plentiful opportunities. The Twins stranded nine baserunners in the game, including six in scoring position.

"We threw everybody out there we could," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We tried, just didn't come through with the big hit."

With the Twins failing to get that decisive hit, the Orioles notched a much-needed road, winning away from home for just the second time it their last eight games.

Mike Redmond finished with a season-high three hits and an RBI while Punto doubled twice and scored for the Twins, which lost for the fourth time in their last 11 games overall.

Casilla extended his hitting streak to eight games with three hits, an RBI and a run scored for Minnesota, which has gone 5-9 at home since taking three out of four games from Boston from May 9-12. The Twins finished their homestand 3-4 and now head to Chicago to face the first-place White Sox and kick off a 10-game road trip.