Orioles end skid, beat Twins 11-0

Published 10:44 am Wednesday, April 20, 2011

BALTIMORE — Matt Wieters drove in four runs, Vladimir Guerrero hit a three-run homer, and the Baltimore Orioles snapped an eight-game losing streak by defeating Carl Pavano and the Minnesota Twins 11-0 Tuesday night.

Jake Arrieta (2-1) pitched six innings of four-hit ball for the Orioles, who built an 8-0 lead in the fifth inning and coasted to their first win in 10 days after a 6-1 start. The 11 runs were a season high, and all of them came with two outs.

Pavano (1-2) gave up seven earned runs and eight hits in 4 2-3 innings. The right-hander had allowed only one run in his previous 16 innings.

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Wieters hit an RBI single in the third inning, a three-run double in the fifth and scored a career-high three runs.

Guerrero’s second homer of the season, an opposite-field shot to right, came in the eighth inning on a 3-1 pitch from struggling Twins reliever Joe Nathan.

Arrieta walked three, struck out four and lowered his ERA from 7.04 to 5.06. It was the second time in 22 career starts that he did not allow a run.

The right-hander was facing a last-place Minnesota team that ranked 30th in the majors in runs. The loss ended the Twins’ first winning streak of the season at two.

Minnesota was without Delmon Young and Justin Morneau, both of whom have been experiencing flulike symptoms. Morneau has sat out three straight games and Young, who also has a sore ribcage, missed his first game of the year.

Arrieta broke three bats retiring the first two hitters in the second inning. Luke Hughes followed with a double before Drew Butera looked at a third strike.

In the bottom half, Baltimore scored three runs after Pavano got two quick outs. Adam Jones started the uprising with an infield hit, Mark Reynolds walked on four pitches and Wieters delivered an RBI single. Then, after Robert Andino walked to load the bases, Brian Roberts bounced a two-run single up the middle.

The Orioles struck again in the fourth after Pavano retired the first two batters. Wieters was hit by a pitch and Andino singled before Roberts doubled in a run for a 4-0 lead.

Baltimore pulled away with a four-run fifth. After two singles and a walk loaded the bases with two outs, Wieters worked the count full before hitting a double off the right-field scoreboard. After Pavano was pulled, Wieters scored on a throwing error by shortstop Alexi Casilla.

NOTES: Wieters is 5 for 5 with 8 RBIs this season with runners in scoring position. … Young’s absence means Danny Valencia and Jason Kubel are the only Twins to play in every game. … Baltimore’s Nick Markakis went 0 for 4 and only one hit in his last 20 at-bats. … Andino had three hits, his third straight multihit game.