Minnesota (82-66) headed into its current 10-game road trip trailing the Chicago White Sox by one game in the AL Central. But the start of the swing was delayed Friday because of rainy weather, forcing a doubleheader on Saturday.

The Twins took advantage, winning their opener against the Orioles 12-2 and following it up with a 12-6 victory in the nightcap to pull into a tie with the idle White Sox, whose twinbill against Detroit was postponed by heavy rains until Sunday.

More heavy rain is forecast for the Chicago area, putting those games in doubt.

Carlos Gomez combined to drive in six runs, Denard Span had two homers and five RBIs and Justin Morneau plated four – tying Texas' Josh Hamilton for the AL's RBI lead (124) - for Minnesota as it won for the fourth time in five games.

The Twins have won eight in a row at Camden Yards.

While it would take a victory, coupled with any of several scenarios in the White Sox's doubleheader on Sunday, for the Twins to take sole possession of first in the division, Span said the focus remains on the team.

"We can't worry about the White Sox. We can't get caught up in what they're doing," Span said. "We pretty much feel that as long as we take care of our business, play our own game, then everything will be what we want at the end."

Minnesota hopes Nick Blackburn (10-8, 3.67 ERA) can take care of Sunday's outing, while building on his first win in over a month.

The right-hander limited Kansas City to two runs and five hits over seven innings of a 7-2 home win on Tuesday. He had gone 0-2 with a 4.25 ERA in his previous five outings – all Twins losses.

He now seeks improvement on the road, where he is 3-5 with a 4.34 ERA over 16 starts.

Blackburn will be making his first career start against last-place Baltimore, which fell to 3-17 since Aug. 22, and has dropped six of eight on a rain-shorted nine-game homestand.

Those struggles stem primarily from ineffective pitching. The staff has compiled a 7.43 ERA with 48 walks in that span, including 13 on Saturday.

"Our guys give you what they have. But you walk people, you pitch behind, you're meeting the catcher seemingly halfway to home plate to catch the ball," manager Dave Trembley told the Orioles' official Web site. "It's very difficult."

Trembley hands the ball to slumping starter Radhames Liz (5-5, 7.75), who is 1-3 with an 8.75 ERA over his last five games.

On Tuesday, the right-hander allowed three earned runs and eight hits, while fanning five in 4 2-3 innings of a 6-1 loss at Cleveland. A week earlier, he was roughed up for nine runs and nine hits in 3 1-3 innings of a loss at Boston.

Liz is 1-1 with a 5.56 ERA in two career starts against the Twins. He held them to two runs and 5 1-3 innings of a 5-3 win in Minnesota on June 3.

Baltimore (65-82) aims to salvage Sunday's game behind Aubrey Huff, who has batted .404 (21-for-52) with three homers and 13 RBIs during a 13-game hitting streak.