Orioles 12, Twins 8: J.J. Hardy hit a grand slam, Ryan Flaherty clubbed a three-run homer and Nelson Cruz hit a solo blast as host Baltimore defeated Minnesota for the third consecutive day.

Adam Jones contributed a two-run double, Caleb Joseph had a career-high four hits and David Lough and Nick Markakis had three hits apiece for the Orioles. Baltimore won for the sixth time in seven games and increased its American League East lead to nine games over the New York Yankees.

Wei-Yin Chen (14-4) was charged with four runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings to win for the seventh time in eight decisions. Zach Britton recorded the final two outs for his 31st save to end a contest in which the Orioles racked up 18 hits and Minnesota countered with 15.

Cruz hit a one-out homer in the third off Ricky Nolasco (5-10) and Flaherty hit his shot later in the inning for a 4-0 advantage. Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run shot in the fourth as the Twins cut the deficit in half.

Jones lined a double inside the third-base line to make it 6-2 in the sixth, Hardy smacked his fourth career grand slam later in the inning and Joseph capped the seven-run uprising with a run-scoring single. Minnesota struck for three in the seventh on Jordan Schafer’s RBI single and Danny Santana’s two-run homer and three more in the ninth on a bases-loaded walk to Plouffe and Chris Parmelee’s two-run single.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Nolasco allowed eight runs and 12 hits – both season-worst outputs – in five-plus innings. … Flaherty, who went 2-for-5, started for the first time since Aug. 16 and had just two at-bats over Baltimore’s previous 13 games. … Twins C Kurt Suzuki was out of the lineup one day after taking a foul tip to the jaw.