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Wieters leads charge as O's down Twins

Aug 25, 2011 - 4:02 AM Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Matt Wieters hit two doubles and drove in a pair of runs to back seven solid innings from Jeremy Guthrie as Baltimore downed Minnesota, 6-1, in the third installment of a four-game series.

Nolan Reimold and Ryan Adams notched two hits, an RBI and a run scored each for the Orioles, who have taken three in a row in this set after dropping five straight in Oakland and Anaheim.

Guthrie (6-16) allowed one run on five hits while fanning five and walking two, earning his first win in nearly a month.

The win for the Orioles came with heavy hearts as it was learned during the game that former pitcher Mike Flanagan was found dead. He was 59.

"It's a really sad day. I think he was so close to so many people in this organization and touched the lives of thousands of people in the Baltimore community and the baseball world," Guthrie said in somber tones about Flanagan. "The news of his passing is a big blow to this team. From the day I was given the number 46, I've had thousands of people tell me that it was their favorite pitchere here when they were growing up. From day one I've been reminded of his legacy."

Justin Morneau's RBI double was the sole offense for the Twins, who suffered their fourth straight defeat.

Minnesota also lost right fielder Michael Cuddyer in the bottom of the first after being hit on the left wrist by a Guthrie pitch. X-rays taken shortly thereafter were negative, but Cuddyer is expected to undergo further testing on Thursday.

Kevin Slowey (0-2) didn't make it through the fifth inning, charged in the loss for seven hits and five runs.

The Orioles effectively wrapped up the game with a five-run fifth. Mark Reynolds began the frame with a homer, then two batters later Jake Fox singled. Reimold's triple and Adams' double each brought in a run, then J.J. Hardy singled and Nick Markakis walked to load the bases.

After an Adam Jones flyout to shallow left, Wieters cracked a double to left which scored Adams and Hardy for a 5-1 game.

Guthrie encountered trouble in the home first, loading the bases by serving up a Trevor Plouffe triple, Morneau walk and plunking Cuddyer. However, he induced a groundout from Jim Thome to end the threat.

Back-to-back two-out doubles from Jason Kubel and Morneau in the third accounted for the Twins' first and only run of the contest.

Guthrie shone for the remainder of his outing, retiring the side in order in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth. He set down 12 in a row until issuing a two-out walk to Luke Hughes in the seventh. Ben Revere grounded out and Guthrie officially made his exit.

"Guthrie's a guy who attacks the strike zone, he's got tough stuff. He pitched a nice ballgame, and they had that one big inning where they basically won it," said Twins slugger Jim Thome. "It's a little frustrating for sure."

Game Notes

Flanagan started his major league career in 1975 with the Orioles and stayed with them until 1987 when he was traded to Toronto. He was signed back as a free agent with the O's prior to the 1991 season and retired in 1992 with an all-time mark of 167-143 with a 3.90 ERA in 526 games (404 starts)...The native of New Hampshire won the American League Cy Young Award in 1979 when he went 23-9 with a 3.08 ERA in his fifth major league season, and also was a key component of the club's last World Series title in 1983...Orioles designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero was scratched due to a left wrist contusion...Minnesota hadn't dropped three in a row at home to Baltimore since September 7-9, 1999 in the Metrodome.