With heavy hearts the Baltimore Orioles will take the field game series with the Minnesota Twins at Target Field.
During Baltimore's victory over Minnesota on Wednesday the team announced that Orioles great Mike Flanagan was found dead outside his Maryland home at the age of 59.
A color commentator for the Orioles' television network, Flanagan went 23-9 in 1979 en route to winning the AL Cy Young Award and was a member of Baltimore's 1983 World Series winning team.
"It is with deep sadness that I learned of the death of my friend Mike Flanagan earlier this evening," Orioles owner Peter Angelos said in a statement. "In over a quarter century with the organization, Flanny became an integral part of the Orioles family, for his accomplishments both on and off the field. His loss will be felt deeply and profoundly by all of us with the ball club and by Orioles fans everywhere who admired him."
The Orioles won their third straight game last night, as Matt Wieters hit two doubles and drove in a pair of runs to back seven solid innings from Jeremy Guthrie in a 6-1 win.
Nolan Reimold and Ryan Adams notched two hits, an RBI and a run scored each for the Orioles, whose winning streak comes on the heels of losing five straight. A win today would also give them their first-ever four-game sweep in Minnesota.
Guthrie (6-16) allowed one run on five hits while fanning five and walking two, earning his first win in nearly a month.
"It's a really sad day. I think he was so close to so many people in this organization and touched the lives of thousands of people in the Baltimore community and the baseball world," Guthrie said in somber tones about Flanagan. "The news of his passing is a big blow to this team. From the day I was given the number 46, I've had thousands of people tell me that it was their favorite pitcher here when they were growing up. From day one I've been reminded of his legacy."
Justin Morneau's RBI double was the sole offense for the Twins, who suffered their fourth straight defeat.
Minnesota also lost right fielder Michael Cuddyer in the bottom of the first after being hit on the left wrist by a Guthrie pitch. X-rays taken shortly thereafter were negative, but Cuddyer is expected to undergo further testing on Thursday.
Kevin Slowey (0-2) didn't make it through the fifth inning, charged in the loss for seven hits and five runs.
Getting the call for the O's today will be lefty Jo-Jo Reyes, who is 6-10 with a 5.44. Reyes lost for the third time in four decisions on Friday in Anaheim, as he allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings.
Reyes did not get a decision against the Twins earlier in the year in his only other start against them.
Minnesota, meanwhile, will counter with lefty Francisco Liriano, who has won his last two starts. Liriano beat the New York Yankees on Saturday, holding them to an unearned run and three hits in seven innings, as he upped his record to 9-9, while lowering his ERA to 4.85.
Liriano beat the O's back on April 18 and is 2-1 in three starts against them with a 3.26 ERA.
Baltimore has won five of its seven meetings with the Twins this season.
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