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Orioles rough up Twins to halt eight-game skid

Apr 20, 2011 - 5:04 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Matt Wieters went 2-for-3, scored three times and knocked in four runs, as the Baltimore Orioles snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 11-0 win over the Minnesota Twins.

"We have a deep lineup," Wieters said. "I hope we all don't slump together again and this losing streak doesn't happen again."

Brian Roberts and Vladimir Guerrero each had three RBI for the Orioles, who scored all their runs with two outs. Baltimore starter Jake Arrieta (2-1) was solid in a scoreless six-inning outing where he scattered four hits and fanned four batters.

Michael Cuddyer collected two hits for the Twins, who won the first matchup of the four-game series. Carl Pavano (1-2) was touched for eight runs -- seven earned -- on eight hits while walking three in 4 2/3 innings.

The Orioles scored three runs with two outs in the third inning to go ahead for the first time in 40 innings. Their last lead was April 14 at New York at the end of the eighth inning.

An Adam Jones single and a Mark Reynolds walk started the rally. Jones scored on Wieters' single to center. Two batters later, Reynolds and Wieters crossed home on Roberts' sharp grounder up the middle to cap off the scoring burst.

"You have to be able to finish off innings," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We didn't get it done tonight."

Baltimore tacked on another two-out run in the fourth thanks to Roberts' double down the right line that plated Wieters.

Pavano got in trouble again in the fifth to end his outing. He surrendered singles to Derrek Lee and Guerrero to start the frame. The right-hander then fanned Luke Scott to get the first out, but walked Jones to fill the bases. After Pavano got another strikeout, he left a pitch high in the zone for Wieters, who smacked a double off the right field fence to score all three runners and take a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Orioles added another run in the same inning when Wieters scored on a throwing error by Alexi Casilla. Then Guerrero had an opposite-field three-run homer in the eighth to make up the final score.

Game Notes

Baltimore was outscored 54-20 during the eight-game losing skid. The slide is also the longest for the O's since a 10-game drought from May 26-June 5 of last season...The Twins had won six of the previous seven games against Baltimore...Pavano fell to 5-4 against the Orioles.