First inning continues to challenge Orioles starters (O's win 5-3)

MINNEAPOLIS - The first inning challenged the Orioles again tonight at Target Field.

At least it wasn't the weather.

The Orioles pitching staff was tied with the Braves for 22nd in the majors with a 5.40 ERA in the first inning. The Twins were 24th at 6.10.

The Royals and Tigers were tied for last with a 7.26 ERA.

Coming off eight scoreless innings and only three hits allowed against the Yankees, Kevin Gausman fell into immediate trouble tonight against the Twins, who put runners on the corners with one out in the first on back-to-back singles by Eduardo Nunez and Brian Dozier.

Trevor Plouffe flied to deep center field and Nunez scored easily for a 1-0 lead.

Gausman had permitted four runs in three starts, none in the first inning.

It was just a glitch. Gausman retired seven in a row with five strikeouts before walking Nunez with two outs in the third.

The Orioles had a chance to knot the score in the top of the third after Ryan Flaherty's leadoff double to center field off Twins rookie Jose Berrios, making his third major league start. Joey Rickard laid down a sacrifice bunt and Manny Machado walked, but Adam Jones struck out on three pitches and Machado was caught in a rundown and tagged out going back to first.

Suzuki hesitated before firing to second. Machado slammed on the brakes, retreated and was tagged before Flaherty crossed the plate.

It was ruled a caught stealing. It left Chris Davis holding the bat - at least the third time this season that Machado has been thrown out with the first baseman at the plate.

A designed play intended to give Machado second base or get Flaherty home before the out? We'll find out later.

The Orioles hadn't attempted a sacrifice bunt before tonight, if you care about such things.

Machado singled with one out in the top of the first to raise his average to .355, but Jones flied out and Davis struck out. Jones is batting .196 and Davis is hitting .198.

Pedro Alvarez reached on an infield hit with two outs in the second, but Jonathan Schoop flied to right.

Gausman threw 22 pitches in the first, but only 13 in the second while retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. Oswaldo Arcia swung through a 96 mph fastball and Suzuki flied out on a 97 mph heater.

Gausman is at 52 pitches in three innings.

Update: The Orioles tied the game in the fourth on Mark Trumbo's one-out double and Matt Wieters' RBI single on the 10th pitch thrown by Berrios. Joe Mauer made a diving stop along the line and robbed Alvarez of an extra-base hit and RBI.

Update II: Machado and Jones went back-to-back in the fifth inning to give the Orioles a 3-1 lead.

Machado has 10 home runs. Jones has two, the other coming on April 16 in Texas.

The Orioles have hit back-to-back home runs five times this season, most recently on Sunday with Alvarez and Schoop.

Jones' ball landed in the second deck and was measured at 443 feet.

Update III: Gausman served up a game-tying two-run homer to Plouffe with no outs in the sixth after Dozier's leadoff single.

Update IV: Jones lined a two-out, two-run single into left field in the top of the ninth inning to break a 3-3 tie.

Joey Rickard doubled with two outs off Kevin Jepsen. The Twins walked Machado intentionally and both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Jones singled on a 2-2 pitch.

Update V: The Orioles defeated the Twins 5-3 and moved seven games above .500 for the second time this season.

Zach Britton recorded his eighth save.

Darren O'Day retired the side in order in the eighth and improved to 2-0.

Jones didn't have a three-RBI game before tonight.