Orioles 8, Twins 2: Tommy Hunter pitched seven solid innings and three Orioles hit solo home runs as host Baltimore dealt the Twins their second straight defeat.

Hunter (1-0), who earned the No. 2 spot in the rotation late in spring training, gave up two runs on six hits, walked one and struck out three for the Orioles, who improved to 2-0 for the third time in the last four years.

Baltimore had eight of its 13 hits against Twins left-hander Francisco Liriano (0-1), who yielded six runs in four innings before being replaced by Alex Burnett.

Adam Jones’ second-inning home run gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead, and after they scored two more in the third, Liriano unraveled in the fourth. He gave up three straight two-out hits — including Nolan Reimold’s single to left that scored Robert Andino — as Baltimore stretched the lead to six runs.

Nick Markakis and Matt Wieters each hit solo home runs in the seventh for the Orioles, who reached base in every inning but the first. Andino added a pair of RBI singles.

Markakis, who had a home run and three RBIs in the opener, finished with three hits. Ronny Paulino, making his Orioles debut, went 4-for-4 with a pair of runs.

The Twins reached third base just once in the first seven innings and went down in order four times overall. They also grounded into a pair of double plays.

Minnesota scored two eighth-inning runs on RBI groundouts by Jamey Carroll and Joe Mauer.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Paulino, a catcher, was penciled in as the designated hitter. … The Orioles started 4-0 last season, but fell below .500 nine games later en route to a 69-93 overall record. … Liriano went 1-4 with a 9.13 ERA in five April starts last year. … Hunter loaded the bases in the eighth before exiting.