Minnesota Twins

Orioles rally for 4-2 win, series sweep over Twins

Published Apr. 7, 2016 10:13 p.m. ET

foxsports

BALTIMORE -- The Minnesota Twins are off to a rocky start -- again.

Fortunately, they know that losing the first three games of the season is not necessarily an indication of things to come.

The Twins blew an early lead and wasted a home run by Joe Mauer in a 4-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.

Minnesota scored only six runs in the series and went 2 for 21 with runners in scoring position.

There are 159 games left for the Twins to get it right. That's what happened a year ago, when Minnesota opened with three successive defeats in Detroit and went 1-6 before rebounding to finish 83-79.

"Obviously, it was a tough series for us here," starter Phil Hughes said. "The fortunate thing is we've been here before -- last year-- so we know pretty well about bouncing back and not letting it get to us too much."

Hughes (0-1) took a 2-1 lead into the seventh, then gave up successive singles before a driving rain stopped play. After a 21-minute delay, reliever Trevor May threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score.

At that point, far too late, May called for the grounds crew to work on the slick mound.

"That's up to me. If I'm slipping, I have to say something," May said. "Unfortunately, I paid for it."

One out later, Jonathan Schoop delivered an RBI single.

Joey Rickard tacked on his first big league homer in the eighth for a 4-2 lead. Minutes after rounding the bases, the Rule 5 pickup responded to a curtain call from the modest crowd of 11,142.

Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0) gave up a first-inning homer to Mauer and an unearned run in the second before bouncing back to hold the Twins at bay. The right-hander allowed eight hits, struck out nine and walked none.

Jimenez retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced, striking out seven.

"The first couple of innings they were looking for the fastball right away," Jimenez said. "They were hitting, and they came out swinging. But after that, we started throwing all kinds of breaking balls."

Orioles rookie Dylan Bundy worked the eighth and Darren O'Day got three straight outs for his first save.

It was the first time the Twins were swept in Baltimore since 2012, when they also opened 0-3.

The Orioles played without center fielder Adam Jones, who has soreness in his ribcage. Manager Buck Showalter expressed hope that his three-time All-Star would be back in the lineup Friday.

Mauer hit his first homer of the season in the first inning, and the Twins made it 2-0 in the second following an error by first baseman Chris Davis.

Jimenez worked out of a jam in the third after putting runners at the corners with no outs. Hughes did exactly the same thing in the fourth.

Manny Machado homered in the sixth to get the Orioles to 2-1.

DON'T WALK THIS WAY

Twins: Hughes did not allow a walk over six-plus innings, making it the 56th straight start in which he issued fewer than three free passes.

Orioles: Jimenez was equally effective with his control. Last season, he had three starts of at least seven innings without walking a batter.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles LHP Brian Matusz (strained left ribcage) allowed one run in one inning for Double-A Bowie.

UP NEXT

Twins: Opening day starter Ervin Santana takes the mound Friday night in Kansas City, where Minnesota plays three games before launching its home schedule against the White Sox on Monday.