Game 2 saw both teams send 22-game winning Cy Young Award winners to the mound as the Twins sent Kevin Brown (22-4, 2.73) to the mound while the Orioles countered with Hideo Nomo (22-5, 3.19) in a tense game where both pitchers came up with big outs.
The Twins and Orioles managed to get the lead-off man on in the second inning, but both pitchers responded by inducing double-plays. Vernon Wells led off the top of the third inning with a solo HR for a 1-0 lead for the Twins. Brian Roberts followed up the HR with a single. Nomo got Bradley to fly out for the first out of the inning, but he walked Larry Walker and had the Twins fans hoping for a big inning with two on and one out. Nomo shut the door by getting another key double play ball off the bat of Scott Rolen. Mark Kotsay opened the bottom of the third with a single, but Kevin Brown stranded him at first with a pop-up, fly out and strike out to end the inning.
In the fourth, both pitchers got in trouble again. After striking out Richie Sexson to start the inning, Vernon Wells smashed a single and an error by Orioles SS Edgar Renteria allowed Wells to advance to third with one only out in the inning. Twins catcher Keith Osik hit a single to drive in Wells. Osik moved up to second when Nomo hit Adam Dunn, who was not at all pleased with being plucked for a second consecutive game, although the Twins manager was seen to grin, perhaps at the thought of having avoided a strike out. Gabe Kapler came in to pinch run for Osik at 2B, but Nomo escaped from the jam by getting Raffy Furcal and Brian Roberts to line out and end the inning.
Making up for his miscue in the top half of the inning, Edgar Renteria roped a double top open up the bottom of the fourth. Carlos Delgado moved the runner over to third with a ground out and Brian Giles hit the sac fly to score Renteria and cut the lead to 2-1.
Both pitchers cruised through the fifth and sixth innings without too much trouble, thanks in part to spectacular defense of Mark Kotsay who robbed Adam Dunn of a HR in the sixth. The curse of the walks came back in to haunt Orioles� pitchers in the top of the 7th. Nomo walked Furcal to open the inning and Dan Kolb came in to relieve Nomo. Kolb promptly walked Brian Roberts to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Kolb struck out Milton Bradley for the first out of the inning, but walked Larry Walker to load up the bases for the Twins who had not yet touched the ball in the inning. The Orioles responded by bringing in closer John Smoltz to clean up the mess against the heart of the Twins batting order. With the bases loaded and one out, Smoltz got the second out against cleanup hitter Scott Rolen on a harmless pop out. Facing Richie Sexson, Smoltz got a fly ball to end an inning and keep the Twins� lead to just 2-1. Kevin Brown continued to cruise by retiring the Orioles in order in the bottom of 7th inning.
In the top of the eighth the Twins added an insurance run when Vernon Wells stroked a solo HR off of Smoltz to start the inning and give the Twins an insurance run and a 3-1 lead. Smoltz struck out the next two batters and retired the third out on a pop up. In the bottom of the eighth, Mark Kotsay of the Orioles led off the inning with a single off of Kevin Brown. Shannon Stewart, a key pinch-hitter for the O�s all season, came in to pinch-hit for Luis Rivas. He hit a single to put runners on first and second with none out. The O�s brought in Matt Morris to bunt for catcher Damian Miller. The Twins countered by bringing in southpaw Damaso Marte with an eye to facing Aubrey Huff in the next AB. Marte, a key mid-season acquisition for the Twins, pitched 20 scoreless innings in the regular season to help secure the Twins� first division title. The Orioles sat Morris back down on the bench and brought in long-time Oriole Matt Williams to pinch hit. Marte came through getting Williams on a shallow fly and getting Huff to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Still trailing by two in the bottom of the ninth, the O�s mounted another comeback attempt. To start the inning, the Twins brought in closer Brendan Donnelly to face righty Edgar Renteria. Donnelly struck out Renteria and followed it up by whiffing the always-dangerous Carlos Delgado and leaving the Orioles one out away from being swept at home. Brian Giles managed to scrape out a single and bringing up Geoff Jenkins and the game-tying run to the plate. Jenkins smashed the game-tying homer to tie the game and send the Orioles desperate fans into a frenzy. Donnelly recovered his composure and struck out his third batter of the inning.
Joe Nathan on in relief of Smoltz pitched a 1-2-3 tenth inning. Donnelly struck out his fourth batter to open the bottom of the 10th, but after walking Junior Spivey, the Twins brought in LaTroy Hawkins who came through getting a fly out from catcher Chad Moeller and striking out Aubrey Huff to end the inning.
Rafael Furcal led off the top of the 11th by stroking a double off of Joe Nathan. The O�s brought in Mike Koplove to face 2B Bo Hart. A wild pitch put the go-ahead run on 3B and Bo Hart cashed him in with a single past Carlos Delgado. Milton Bradley followed with a single and an error by Brian Giles in RF allowed Hart to score and put Bradley on second base with none outs. The O�s brought in LOOGY Kelly Wunsch to strike out Larry Walker. Byung-Hyun Kim came in to close the door by striking out Richie Sexson and Vernon Wells.
With the top of the order up and needing 2 runs to tie in the bottom of the 11th, LaTroy Hawkins started off the inning with a crucial strikeout of Edgar Renteria. Carlos Delgado followed with a single to bring Brian Giles and the tying run up to the plate with one out. Hawkins got Giles to fly out and for the second time in the game, the Orioles found themselves down to their final out trailing by two runs. Geoff Jenkins worked his way onto first base with a walk and the Orioles brought the game-winning run to the plate in the form of the A.L�s best pinch-hitter during the season, Lew Ford. Ford hit the ball to CF, but Wells managed to catch the ball and secure a two-game lead for the Twins with the series going back to Minnesota.