Denard Span’s five RBI’s help Minnesota Twins thrash Baltimore Orioles 19-7 – MLB Update
Denard Span had one of his career best outings on Monday, July 16 as Minnesota Twins hammered the Baltimore Orioles 19-7 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the opening game of their three match series of the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season.
Credit should be given to Minnesota’s centre fielder for putting pressure on the Orioles right from the start of the contest.
Ben Revere also made useful contribution as the Twins bounced back strongly from their humiliating series sweep against the Oakland Athletics.
Joe Mauer singled to centre in the first inning to put the Twins on the board. Ryan Doumit reached first base safely on a throwing error by Mark Reynolds to extend Twins’ lead to 3-0.
Brian Dozier, Doumit and Span continued to take full advantage of Orioles’ errors on the field as the Twins scored seven in the first.
"We've been taking a few beatings lately. It's nice to be on this side of one," manager Ron Gardenhire said.
"Basically having a center fielder in right field, it's huge for us because it just allows you to force the hitters to put balls in play," Diamond said.
"The ball kind of tailed, kind of got in the sun a little bit, so I squinted my eyes and luckily I saw it," Revere said in a post game interview. "I dove and it landed in my glove."
Mauer homered to right in the second and Revere reached on infield single to shortstop in the third to take the lead beyond Baltimore’s reach at 10-2.
Span finished the game with three hits and five RBI’s. He also took two crucial catches in centre field to help the Twins snap their five-game losing streak.
Revere, on the other hand, had four hits and three RBI’s to his name and he took two stunning grabs in the deep right-field.
Starting pitcher Scott Diamond made another power show to pick up his eighth win of the season. He leaked just five runs and nine hits in a high scoring game. Relief pitcher Anthony Swarzak did the tidy up work with two scoreless innings.
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