Jim Thome-Scott Baker combo help Minnesota Twins defeat Baltimore Orioles 3-1 – MLB Update
Minnesota Twins’ designated hitter Jim Thome and starter Scott Baker put their combined efforts in the Twins’ 3-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park in Baltimore on April 21.
Thome struck a home run during the second inning and led off the team 2-0. It was the 591st home run in his baseball career and he wanted to hit more in the next games to reach a peak of 600 homers. If Thomas passes the 600 mark, he will become
the seventh Major League player to attain this rank in baseball history.
He worked hard in the training session to join the Twins with a new spirit and it was proven in this game. Thome said of his performance, “I haven't been swinging the bat all that great. I've been working hard to make some adjustments. I saw some things
on video that I needed to correct, and I've worked on those things in the [batting] cage.”
Thomas made two RBI singles in the sixth inning to support the pitching efforts of the Twins’ starter Baker. Thomas batted with an average of .163 with five RBIs and laid a solid platform towards their convincing win. With this victory, the Twins saved the
four-game sweep against the Orioles.
Baker also had a remarkable day as he gave no run on seven hits but just allowed one walk and struck out nine batters in no time. He performed really well in the last eight starts against the Orioles with an ERA of 2.17. In the first four games, he permitted
four runs to the Orioles, after that he improved his pitching abilities like a game winner.
The Twins’ Manager Ron Gardenhire was pleased with the come-back performance of Thomas. Speaking to reporters, Gardenhire said, “He's never that far off. That's why he has almost 600 home runs. Thome can swing. That's one thing he can do is swing the bat.”
The Twins’ right-fielder, Michael Cuddyer also struck a homer in the eighth inning off Mike Gonzalez to extend the Twins’ lead. He hit six home runs in last 18 games of his career.
The Orioles’ batter was lacking in their performance as they did not play well against Baker. Baltimore’s second baseman Brian Roberts liked Bakers’ pitching. He said, “It seems like we can't beat the guy. He's a good pitcher, so you tip your hat and unfortunately
you move on.”
On the other side, the Orioles’ starter Jeremy Guthrie executed well but not enough to take a win for his team. He allowed two runs on seven hits, including two earned runs with four strike-outs in seven inning pitches.
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