Twins sell their hot streak as a glimmer of hope

In the interest of, let's face it, selling a few tickets, the Twins would like it known that they now own a better record than the Washington Nationals did at this point of the 2019 season — and those Nats, who turned around their 19-31 roadkill of a season with three straight wins against the worst team in the league, eventually wound up parading down Pennsylvania Avenue.

Rocco Baldelli isn't making any rash predictions about October, not with this team's postseason history and especially not with a nine-game AL Central deficit looming. But he made a point on Wednesday to note that, standings be damned, the 20-29 Twins aren't fast-forwarding to 2022, either.

"I don't think our guys have given in, in any way," the Twins manager said after his team's first sweep of the season ended with a 3-2 victory over Baltimore on Wednesday. "Our guys have continually showed up hungry. I don't think we've let anything drag us down."

Certainly not the Orioles, a last-place team for the fourth time in five seasons. The Twins have beaten Baltimore 15 consecutive games, and they meet again at Camden Yards in just five days. Then again, the Orioles led in all three games and were outhit only 26-24.

The Twins didn't let the crowded schedule become a problem, either. They played 17 games over the past 16 days, and despite losing the first four, survived with an 8-9 record. In addition, only six of the next 24 games are against opponents who currently have winning records.

"It's a really important [stretch]," said Derek Falvey, president of baseball operations. "[We've] dug a hole. No one is running from that. … But it doesn't look like guys are throwing their hands in the air and saying, 'We are where we are and there's no way to get out of this.'"

Especially since this mini-turnaround has been accomplished without their best player, Byron Buxton, and despite an injured list that becomes more crowded each day.

Hmm. The stretch of six wins in seven games began in Game 2 of a doubleheader in Anaheim last Thursday, a game that Baldelli watched from a suite as he served a suspension. Is it possible …?

"I was thinking the exact same thing," Baldelli deadpanned. "The only evidence we have is that when I don't show up for a game, our guys really pick it up."

Luis Arraez stayed in Saturday's game at Cleveland despite injuring his shoulder while trying to steal a base. But three days later, "Luis [is] really feeling that discomfort not just on his swing, but now when he's throwing," Baldelli said, and it became clear he'll need up to a week to receive treatment and let the pain subside. "The pain level when he was playing was not minor. Every swing he too, he was hurting. You can't go forward like that."

So Arraez went on the injured list for the second time this season on Wednesday, opening a roster spot for Michael Pineda. Arraez, who also missed a week earlier this month with a concussion, had been batting just .255 with one extra-base hit since his return.

Nelson Cruz, who hadn't been in the starting lineup since being hit on the wrist by a pitch last Thursday, drew two walks in his return Wednesday.