MINNEAPOLIS — Tyler Wells took a no-hit bid into the fifth inning for the second straight start and won his sixth consecutive decision in leading the Baltimore Orioles over the Minnesota Twins 3-1 on Sunday.
Wells (7-4) struck out a career-high seven, allowing one run and three hits in six innings. He is 6-0 with a 1.89 ERA in seven starts since a May 25 loss at the New York Yankees. The 27-year-old right-hander, taken by Baltimore from Minnesota in the 2020 winter meeting draft, has allowed one run or none in each of his last four starts.
Rougned Odor put Baltimore ahead when he led off the fifth inning with his eighth home run. Trey Mancini and Ryan Mountcastle homered on consecutive pitches in the sixth from Devin Smeltzer (4-2), who allowed six hits in six innings.
Smeltzer has given up 10 home runs in last 32 1/3 innings after not allowing any in his first 24 innings.
Dillon Tate earned his second save of the season as the Orioles won the series finale after the Twins ended the first two games on walk-off hits.
Wells, who was a reliever last season, didn’t allow a hit until Nick Gordon’s double with one out in the fifth. The Twins scored in the sixth after Gilberto Celestino walked leading off the inning and came home on Jorge Polanco’s single.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Mancini was in the lineup a day after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch on Saturday. Mancini has also been hit on each of his hands in recent weeks.
Twins: C Ryan Jeffers was feeling better and he was available if needed after sustaining a bruised right thumb in Friday’s game and being held out Saturday. … RHP Trevor Megill (right shoulder impingement) struck out one and threw nine pitches in a perfect fourth innings for Triple-A St. Paul against Omaha on Saturday and is to rejoin the Twins on the upcoming trip.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Dean Kremer (2-1, 1.29 ERA) will start for Baltimore on Monday against Texas. The Orioles return home after a 10-game trip with Kremer, who has three straight scoreless starts with at least five innings. The Rangers are scheduled to start RHP Dane Dunning (1-6, 4.09).
Twins: Dylan Bundy (4-4, 4.71) will start the first game of three on the road against the Chicago White Sox. Bundy threw five scoreless innings in a start against Chicago on April 23. The White Sox have RHP Johnny Cueto (2-4, 3.33) lined up to start.
*Associated Press
