Associated Press
BALTIMORE -- Chris Richard and Jeff Conine drove in two runs each to back Travis Driskill as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins 4-1 Thursday for a three-game sweep.
It was the fourth straight defeat for Minnesota, matching its longest skid of the season (April 8-11). Jacque Jones had three hits for the Twins, just 11-40 against the Orioles since July 1996.
The Twins were outscored 19-7 in the series and went 7-for-31 with runners in scoring position, including 2-for-11 in the finale, when they stranded 13 runners.
Richard, activated July 31 from a season-long stint on the disabled list, hit his third homer in nine games. Conine, in his second game following a seven-week stay on the DL, hit a two-run single in the fourth to put Baltimore up 4-1.
ADVERTISEMENT
Driskill (8-5) allowed one run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. The 31-year-old rookie walked two and struck out five to earn his first victory at Camden Yards in six starts.
Driskill outpitched Brad Radke (4-3), who gave up four runs and five hits in seven innings. Radke, who has spent considerable time on the disabled list this season, was vying for his first win since May 8.
Jorge Julio, the fourth Baltimore pitcher, worked the ninth for his 23rd save in 28 chances.
Richard gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the second inning with a drive to right after Tony Batista beat out an infield hit. Richard has hit safely in all nine games since returning to the Orioles following offseason shoulder surgery.
Minnesota got a run back in the third when Luis Rivas hit a leadoff double and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cristian Guzman.
Baltimore stretched the lead to 4-1 in the fourth when Conine hit an opposite-field RBI single.
Minnesota loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth before Willis Roberts retired Rivas on a grounder to shortstop.
