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Hunter, Orioles top Twins

Apr 8, 2012 - 3:46 AM Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Tommy Hunter followed up Jake Arrieta's Opening Day gem with one of his own Saturday, going seven-plus strong innings as the Baltimore Orioles toppled the Minnesota Twins, 8-2, in the middle game of a three-game set at Camden Yards.

Hunter (1-0) gave up two unearned runs on six hits while striking out three and issuing one walk for the Orioles, who have won their first two games of the season for the second consecutive year. Luis Ayala closed it down in the ninth inning for the O's.

"If we continue to go deep in the game with our starting pitching, we'll have some fun this year," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "It's two out of 162, but it's a good way to start. We had good starts to start the season last year, so we'll see if it continues."

Nick Markakis finished 3-for-4 with a solo homer, Matt Wieters and Adam Jones also had solo shots, while Robert Andino added a two-run single and Nolan Reimold had an RBI base hit.

Francisco Liriano (0-1) was tagged with the loss, giving up six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits while fanning four and walking two in just four innings.

Jamey Carroll and Joe Mauer both knocked in a run for the Twins, who dropped the first two games of the season for the second year in a row.

Baltimore struck first in the home half of the second when Jones led off the frame by belting a knee-high fastball from Liriano just over the wall in right-center field to give the O's the early lead.

The O's added two more runs in the third when Ronny Paulino opened the inning with a single to right. Andino followed with a single into left field. The ball skipped past Twins left fielder Josh Willingham, allowing Paulino to score. Andino then advanced to third on a groundout by Reimold and scored on a double-play groundout by J.J. Hardy to make it a 3-0 game.

The Twins put together a threat in the visitor's half of the fourth when Justin Morneau doubled to lead off the frame and Hunter plunked Willingham to put two men on with no outs, but Hunter worked his way out of trouble by getting Chris Parmelee to foul out and inducing a 5-3 double play from Danny Valencia to end the frame.

Baltimore put up three more runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 6-0. Mark Reynolds drew a one-out walk and Paulino followed two batters later with a double to left to put runners on second and third with two down. Andino came through with a two-run single down the left field line and Reimold followed with a bloop single into center field to plate Andino from second.

Markakis blasted a 1-1 changeup from Twins' reliever Jared Burton over the wall in right-center field in the seventh, and Wieters took a changeup out to right two batters later to make it 8-0 for the O's.

The Twins got both of their runs in the visitor's half of the eighth when Carroll and Mauer grounded into back-to-back RBI force outs to make it an 8-2 game, but they would get no closer.

"You get a little amped up early when things don't go your way," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We have to keep our head up and keep battling. We've got some talent in that clubhouse, A couple things go our way and we'll get on a roll."

Game Notes

It was Markakis' second straight multi-hit game...It was Hunter's first career start in the month of April...Prior to the game, the Twins announced that Sunday's starter Liam Hendriks will be skipped due to food poisoning and Anthony Swarzak will start in his place...Liriano fell to 2-2 in five career starts against Baltimore...Minnesota went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded six...Game Time: 2:37.