Minneapolis, MN (Best E Casino) - Adam Jones went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in to lead the Baltimore Orioles past the Minnesota Twins, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game set from the Metrodome.

Kevin Millar and Melvin Mora each hit solo home runs for the Orioles, who have won two in a row on the heels of a four-game skid. Brian Roberts had a double, a triple and an RBI in the win.

Radhames Liz (1-0) got the win as he gave up two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. George Sherrill earned his 19th save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

"He (Liz) threw strikes and was effective," Twins right fielder Michael Cuddyer said. "When you only face a guy one time, it's hard. He's got good stuff, electric stuff."

Joe Mauer had a double and an RBI for the Twins, who saw their two-game win streak halted. Alexi Casilla had an RBI double and Brendan Harris added an RBI single in defeat.

Kevin Slowey (2-5) absorbed the loss as he was touched for four runs on seven hits in six innings.

The Orioles went up 2-0 in the second. Millar began the frame with a homer to left. Luke Scott followed with a single and held at third on Ramon Hernandez's double. A Jones sac fly then plated Scott.

Jones connected on a one-out single in the fifth and a Roberts triple brought him around for the 3-0 Baltimore lead.

The Twins managed one hit, a Justin Morneau single in the fourth, through the first five innings.

Mora added a solo homer in the sixth, which put the O's up 4-0.

The Twins got on the board in the sixth. Carlos Gomez blasted a one-out, ground-rule double to left-center and Casilla followed with an RBI double. Not to be outdone, Mauer kept it going with yet another RBI double.

Matt Albers was called in from the bullpen and got Morneau to pop out and Cuddyer went down swinging to end the threat, though Minnesota cut its deficit in half to 4-2.

Hernandez led-off the seventh with a double off Juan Rincon and took third base on a wild pitch. Jones hit a single up the middle to score Hernandez and Baltimore was ahead 5-2.

Minnesota added another run in the seventh. Jason Kubel and Mike Lamb worked walks and Harris finagled an RBI single to center.

Sherrill took over on the hill in the home ninth and got Matt Macri to pop out, Harris to go down looking and Gomez to fly out to seal the deal.

"I'm surprised it's as many as it is," Sherrill said of his saves. "I thought we were better than everyone thought. That's why you play the games."

Game Notes

Tuesday marked Steve Trachsel's turn in the rotation, but the right-hander was used for five innings in relief on Sunday after having his start in the rotation skipped over due to his 2-5 record and now 8.15 ERA. Instead, the Orioles shifted the ineffective Trachsel to the bullpen for now while giving a start to prospect Liz. Liz, recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on Monday, went 0-2 with a 6.93 ERA in nine games (4 starts) last year with Baltimore...Time of game was 2:56...Attendance was 18,802.