MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton homered for a third straight game and Harrison Bader had a pinch-hit homer to lift the Minnesota Twins to a 5-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night for their fourth consecutive victory.
Buxton hit a three-run shot to the second deck in left field off Orioles starter Charlie Morton (0-7) in the bottom of the third inning to put the Twins up 3-1. Buxton also had a three-run homer in Tuesday’s 9-1 win over Baltimore and hit a solo blast Sunday in Boston.
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Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson (24) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) stands on the mound after a three-run home run by Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Baltimore Orioles' Jackson Holliday (7) is tagged out by Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens (18) while attempting to steal second base during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Danny Coulombe (1-0) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win. Jhoan Durán earned his fifth save with a clean ninth inning for the Twins, who matched their longest winning streak of the season.
The Orioles have lost a season-high four in a row.
With Minnesota leading 3-2 in the seventh, Bader pinch hit for No. 9 hitter Kody Clemens. Bader jumped on a 1-0 pitch from reliever Keegan Akin for a two-run homer to give the Twins a cushion.
Baltimore's Ramón Laureano hit a solo homer off Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson in the top of the third. The Orioles also scored a run in the fifth.
Morton’s woes continued for Baltimore. The 41-year-old right-hander still doesn’t have a win in nine outings, including six starts. Morton allowed three runs and four hits in four innings and saw his ERA rise to 9.38.
Woods Richardson gave up a run and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Bader’s homer in the seventh was the first pinch-hit homer of his career. The veteran outfielder has four home runs and 16 RBIs in his first season with Minnesota.
With his scoreless inning Wednesday, Coulombe has pitched 14.1 innings in relief this season without allowing a run.
Baltimore will send right-hander Dean Kremer (3-4, 5.73 ERA) to the mound for the series finale Thursday. Bailey Ober (4-1, 3.72) will start for the Twins in place of Joe Ryan, who was scratched with an illness.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson (24) delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) stands on the mound after a three-run home run by Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) during the third inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Baltimore Orioles' Jackson Holliday (7) is tagged out by Minnesota Twins second baseman Kody Clemens (18) while attempting to steal second base during the second inning of a baseball game Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton (25) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes test beginning Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
He didn't go quietly.
The Pakistan-born Khawaja, who was the first Muslim to play for Australia, used his retirement announcement Friday to criticize the “racial" stereotyping he experienced during his career.
It will be the 39-year-old Khawaja's 88th and final test — played at the ground where he began his first-class career. Khawaja scored his first Ashes century at the SCG with 171 against England in 2018.
It was also at that the SCG where he revived his career at age 35, scoring two centuries against England. That prompted one of the great late-career revivals, as Khawaja hit seven centuries in his next two years back in the side.
But Khawaja’s position had come under scrutiny and criticism this season after being unable to open in the first Ashes test in Perth due to back spasms and then missing the Brisbane test with the injury.
He was then initially left out in Adelaide until Steve Smith’s vertigo allowed Khawaja to return, before an 82 in the first innings there ensured he would stay in the side for the fourth test in Melbourne. Australia, with a 3-1 lead going into the fifth test, has retained the Ashes.
Khawaja said he felt he was treated “a little bit different, even to now,” because of his Pakistan and Muslim background.
"Different in the way I’ve been treated, different in how things have happened,” he said at a media conference in Sydney. “I had back spasms, it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me . . . I copped it for about five days straight. Everyone was piling in.
“Once the racial stereotypes came in, of me being lazy, it was things I’ve dealt with my whole life. Pakistani, West Indian, colored players...we’re selfish, we only care about ourselves, we don’t care about the team, we don’t train hard enough."
Khawaja said he knew the end of his career was imminent.
“I guess moving into this series, I had an inkling this would be the last series," he said. "I’m glad I can go out on my own terms.”
Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.49 in his 87 tests with 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.
“Usman has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket both through his outstanding achievements as one of our most stylish and resilient batters . . . and off field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation,” Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement.
“Usman has been one of Australia’s most reliable opening batters and testament to his success was him being named ICC test cricketer of the year the same season that Australia won the World Test Championship (in 2023).”
Khawaja said his No. 1 emotion on announcing his retirement was “contentment.”
“I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. "I hope I have inspired people along the way.”
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja with his wife Rachel and daughters Aisha and Ayla after announcing that he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia Usman Khawaja, centre, sits with teammates after announcing he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia Usman Khawaja warms up during a practice session ahead of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Australia's Travis Head, right, is congratulated by teammate Usman Khawaja after reaching 50 runs during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)
Australia's Usman Khawaja sign autograph to fans after they won the third Ashes cricket test match against England in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 (AP Photo/James Elsby)
