BALTIMORE (AP) — Austin Hays hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning that sailed over the big new wall in left field at Camden Yards — an impressive swing under any circumstances.
It wasn’t even his favorite play of the night.
That honor was reserved for Hays’ fourth-inning throw from down the line in left that arrived at home just in time to catch Max Kepler trying to score. Thanks largely to Hays’ bat and his arm, the Baltimore Orioles beat the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on Thursday night.
Hays made it clear afterward which highlight meant more to him.
“Definitely the throw,” he said. “You hit more home runs than you get assists in the outfield.”
Ryan Mountcastle homered twice for the Orioles, including a drive immediately after Hays hit his homer with one out in the eighth off Jhoan Duran (0-1). Cedric Mullins and Jorge Mateo went deep as well for Baltimore.
Byron Buxton hit a home run for Minnesota, which was without manager Rocco Baldelli, second baseman Luis Arraez and pitcher Dylan Bundy because they tested positive for COVID-19 before the game. Twins star Carlos Correa also left after he appeared to be hit on the hand by a pitch — the team said he might have a broken finger and will have another test Friday.
Jorge López (3-1) got the final four outs for Baltimore to earn the win.
Mountcastle put the Orioles up 1-0 in the second, and the drive by Mullins made it 2-1 in the third. Buxton hit a two-run shot in the fifth, but Mateo tied it in the bottom half.
In the fourth, Hays uncorked a throw all the way to the plate from deep down the line in left, cutting down Kepler at home on Gary Sánchez’s double.
The Twins had another runner thrown out at the plate on an odd play in the third. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Buxton hit a grounder to third, and the…
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