Pro Sports

Davis homers as Gallardo, Orioles beat Twins 4-2

Posted April 06, 2016 7:00 am

By DAVID GINSBURG

Baltimore Orioles' Chris Davis watches his solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) - Chris Davis homered to back an effective pitching performance by Yovani Gallardo in his Orioles debut, and Baltimore beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2 Wednesday night at chilly Camden Yards.

Davis, the reigning major league home run champ, hit a solo shot to deep center off Kyle Gibson (0-1) in the third inning to put the Orioles ahead for good. Davis also scored the winning run in the season opener and is off to a strong start after receiving a $161 million, seven-year contract in January.

Gallardo (1-0) allowed one run and two hits in five innings, striking out four and walking three. The right-hander signed a $22 million, two-year contract in February after pitching for Texas last season.

Zach Britton, the last of four Baltimore relievers, struck out the side in the ninth for his first save.

Trevor Plouffe homered and Byron Buxton hit two doubles for the Twins, 0-2 against the Orioles this year after sweeping the seven-game season series last year.

Gibson gave up four runs in five innings. He walked five and allowed seven hits - at least one in each inning.

Temperature at game time was 48 degrees. Many of the fans wore winter coats, gloves and wool hats. Attendance was announced at 12,622 compared to 45,785 on opening day.

Gibson allowed three hits and two walks in the first two innings but trailed only 1-0 after working out of jams in each inning.

Minnesota used a sacrifice fly by Joe Mauer to pull even in the third, but Davis countered in the bottom half with a long drive on a 1-2 pitch.

The Orioles went up 3-1 in the third when J.J. Hardy doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Joey Rickard, the rookie's first career RBI.

After Matt Wieters hit an RBI double in the fifth, Plouffe connected off Mychal Givens in the sixth.

ROTATION SHIFT

Twins: Ervin Santana has been moved up to Friday from Sunday after his start on opening day was cut short by rain. Tommy Milone will start Saturday and Ricky Nolasco will go Sunday.

Orioles: Chris Tillman will start Friday against Tampa Bay after pitching only two innings of the opener. Tyler Wilson is scheduled to start Saturday.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Kevin Gausman (shoulder) is slated to start for Double-A Bowie on Saturday. LHP Brian Matusz (ribcage) will throw for Bowie on Thursday and Friday. He could come off the DL on Sunday.

UP NEXT

Twins: Phil Hughes makes his 21st career start against the Orioles in the series finale Thursday night. He's 8-5 lifetime vs. Baltimore.

Orioles: Ubaldo Jimenez starts for Baltimore. He threw five shutout innings in his only start against the Twins last season.

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo follows through on a pitch to the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a baseball game in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson throws to the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning of a baseball game in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

Baltimore Orioles' Matt Wieters, left, high-fives teammate Chris Davis after Davis hit a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton watches Baltimore Orioles' Chris Davis' solo home run ball sail over the outfield wall in the third inning of a baseball game in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

Minnesota Twins' Joe Mauer (7) high-fives teammates after hitting a sacrifice fly ball in the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. Byron Buxton scored on the play. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

Minnesota Twins' Byron Buxton, right, crosses home plate in front of Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo for a run on a sacrifice fly ball by Joe Mauer in the third inning of a baseball game in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

Baltimore Orioles' Chris Davis, right, rounds the bases past Minnesota Twins shortstop Eduardo Escobar after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of a baseball game in Baltimore, Wednesday, April 6, 2016. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The Associated Press

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