BALTIMORE—With all the exceptional young talent on the Orioles, sometimes centerfielder Cedric Mullins is overlooked. That wasn’t the case on Monday night when he drove in three runs with a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly and made a wonderful diving catch to save a run.
Mullins’ excellence led the Orioles to a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Twins before 14,611 at Camden Yards.
In the bottom of the first with Ryan Jeffers at third with one out, Kyle Farmer sent a long drive to left-center that Mullins dove for and somehow caught.
He hit a two-run home run, his fourth, in the bottom of the fifth to give the Orioles (10-6) a 6-2 lead. His fly ball scored Ryan Mountcastle in the fourth.
Ryan O’Hearn hit his third home run in the third. Gunnar Henderson hit his fourth homer in the sixth, and Jordan Westburg had a two-run double in the first against Twins starter Louie Varland (0-3).
Varland allowed six runs, four earned, on 11 hits in five innings for Minnesota (6-9).
Oriole starter Cole Irvin got within an out of his first win of the season, but he was removed by manager Brandon Hyde with two outs in the fifth.
Irvin allowed two runs on six hits, striking out four in 4 2/3 innings. He was relieved by Dillon Tate (1-0), who allowed a hit in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Keegan Akin allowed two runs, the first he’s given up this season. Yennier Cano pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Craig Kimbrel worked a spotless ninth for his fourth save and the 421st of his career, trailing Billy Wagner by one for seventh place on the all-time list.
Colton Cowser, who was named American League Player of the Week earlier on Monday, struck out in all four at-bats.
Jackson Holliday was hitless in four at-bats.