Baltimore, MD – Baltimore, MD (SportsNetwork.com) - Chris Davis hit a grand slam, Delmon Young added a two-run homer and the Baltimore Orioles coasted to a 9-1 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night to open a four-game series.
Right-hander Miguel Gonzalez (7-7) got the win after holding the Twins to four hits and a run in seven innings.
The AL East-leading Orioles entered play after winning three of four against division foe Tampa Bay to open an 11-game homestand, but had one piece of bad news.
Red-hot first baseman Steve Pearce left the game after three innings with what the team said was a right abdominal strain. Pearce entered the game on a tear with five home runs and a .333 average since Aug. 17.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Pearce would have an MRI on Saturday.
"He felt it a couple days ago. It was fine last night," Showalter said. "I didn't like some of the feedback I was getting from him. I'm not going to take a chance on it."
Trevor Plouffe hit a solo homer for the Twins, who have lost five of six.
Twins righty Trevor May (0-4) remained winless in his first four major-league starts after giving up eight runs in just 4 2/3 innings.
May struck out eight but also showed wildness, hitting back-to-back batters in the fourth inning and then walking in a run with the bases loaded. Davis then hit his fourth career grand slam, and second of the season, to right field to give the Orioles a 5-0 lead.
"I got myself in tough situations, hitting two guys for the first time all year and then giving up a grand slam to a guy who hit 53 home runs last year," said May. "I got myself there."
Adam Jones stroked an RBI single in the fifth and scored Young's two-run homer to left field. Twins left fielder Jordan Schafer crashed into the wall trying to catch Young's homer. The ball went off his glove and was caught by a fan, causing a review that upheld the play.
The homer knocked May out of the game for Samuel Deduno, who surrendered an RBI double to Jonathan Schoop in the sixth. Plouffe homered to left in the seventh.
Game Notes
It was Davis' 24th homer of the season and Young's seventh. Plouffe hit his 11th ... Gonzalez struck out six and walked one ... The Twins snapped a four- game losing streak on Thursday with an 11-5 win over Kansas City in 10 innings.
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