--C Joe Mauer hit his second home run in three days but got only one RBI for it. He got better production from a flyball to center field. Orioles CF Adam Jones caught Mauer's fifth-inning fly on the warning track, then slipped to the ground as he turned. Nick Punto tagged up and scored from third base, and Carlos Gomez accelerated after Jones' stumble and raced around third to score easily. It was the first two-RBI sacrifice fly in the majors since Alex Ochoa of Cincinnati recorded one against Arizona on May 8, 2001.
--RHP Scott Baker was activated Wednesday night and will start against Baltimore on Thursday afternoon, his first start since aggravating a groin injury on May 3. Baker's return gives the Twins 13 pitchers for the first time in manager Ron Gardenhire's seven-year tenure. "We don't have a lot of options," Gardenhire said. "We have to protect our bullpen." --INF Matt Macri was optioned to Class AAA Rochester to make room for RHP Scott Baker. Macri had three hits in seven at-bats during his two weeks with Minnesota, and he collected one RBI and one stolen base.
--CF Carlos Gomez beat out a slow roller to third base in the fifth inning Wednesday, his 21st infield hit of the season. That's the most in the majors, and a big reason that the Twins have 65 infield hits, which leads the American League.
--LHP Glen Perkins lasted only four innings for his second straight start Wednesday, and he gave up back-to-back home runs to Baltimore's Melvin Mora and Kevin Millar. That's the second time this season the Twins have allowed back-to-back homers -- Boston's Coco Crisp and Jed Lowrie accomplished the feat on May 10 -- and both have come at Perkins' expense.
BY THE NUMBERS: .325 -- Twins' on-base percentage through June 1, a 20-point improvement over where they were on May 2, when they ranked last in the American League. They had moved up to a tie for eighth through Sunday. Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra said the lineup, from top to bottom, is trusting themselves more in their ability to work deep into counts. "I didn't really think that was going to happen for us, that they were going to trust themselves and get deep into counts," Vavra said.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Sure, I would rather have had a shutout. If only we had somebody fast in center field, I feel like we would have nailed it down." -- Kevin Slowey, joking after speedy center fielder Carlos Gomez was unable to track down a fly ball in Kansas City that dropped for a hit and ruined Slowey's bid for a complete game shutout. Slowey settled for a complete game instead.
