Nelson Cruz, Eddie Rosario and C.J. Cron hit back-to-back-to-back solo homers in the first inning, and the Minnesota Twins continued their recent homer barrage against the visiting Baltimore Orioles with five blasts in a 6-1 victory on Friday night.

The Twins hit 11 homers against the Orioles while sweeping last Saturday's doubleheader in Baltimore. They now have 16 homers in four games against the Orioles this season.

Cruz hit two, Rosario, Cron and later Max Kepler added a homer as Minnesota improved to 4-0 vs. Baltimore in 2019.

Orioles manager Brandon Hyde had talked before the game of the importance of stopping the Minnesota power attack, but that did not work out for starter Alex Cobb (0-2).

Cobb gave up the three first-inning blasts, which came after he retired the first two batters.

Cobb allowed nine runs in just 2 2/3 innings when he started against the Twins in that doubleheader, including three homers. This time, he allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits in four innings, including four homers, a career high for the right-hander. He walked one and struck out two.

Minnesota starter Martin Perez (3-0) earned the victory with six solid innings. He allowed just one run on six hits and struck out four without walking a batter.

The Twins made it 4-0 in the third when Baltimore center fielder Joey Rickard misplayed a Marwin Gonzalez fly ball, letting Rosario score. Kepler then added the fifth run when he belted a 438-foot homer to deep right off Cobb in the fourth, again with two outs.

Gabriel Ynoa came in to pitch for Baltimore in the fifth, and Cruz greeted him with his second homer of the night against his former team. The shot to right, his fifth homer of the season, put the Twins up 6-0.

Dwight Smith Jr.'s single in the sixth drove in the lone Orioles run.

--Field Level Media