BALTIMORE (Interstat) — In a seesaw affair that defied pregame projections, the Baltimore Orioles rallied from an early four-run deficit to outslug the Minnesota Twins 8-6 on Sunday evening at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, securing a series victory in their opening set of the 2026 season.

A crowd of 18,071 witnessed a contest that featured 24 combined hits and a dramatic shift in momentum, ultimately decided by a three-run Baltimore outburst in the seventh inning. The victory improved the Orioles’ record to 2-1, while the Twins fell to 1-2.

The game’s most critical sequence unfolded in the bottom of the seventh, with Baltimore having just clawed back to tie the game. The Orioles, trailing 6-5, ignited a rally against Twins reliever Mick Abel. Taylor Ward led off with a single and Gunnar Henderson worked a walk. Pete Alonso then delivered a game-tying single to right, scoring Ward. After a pitching change, Adley Rutschman, pinch-hitting, gave Baltimore its first lead of the afternoon with an RBI double, scoring Henderson. An intentional walk to Samuel Basallo loaded the bases for Tyler O’Neill, who grounded into a fielder’s choice that cut down Alonso at the plate. But Coby Mayo followed by lacing a two-strike single into left field, plating Rutschman with a vital insurance run for an 8-6 advantage. The Twins escaped further damage with an inning-ending double play, but the damage was done.

The Orioles’ comeback was necessary after the Twins staked starter Bailey Ober to a sizable early lead. Minnesota battered Baltimore starter Shane Baz for four runs in the second inning. The rally was capped by Tristan Gray, who cleared the bases with a three-run double, though he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Gray finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

Baltimore began chipping away in the fourth against Ober. After singles by Alonso and Basallo, Tyler O’Neill launched a three-run homer over the left-field wall, his first of the season, slicing the deficit to 4-3.

The Orioles drew even in the sixth against the Minnesota bullpen. O’Neill worked a walk and Coby Mayo doubled to put two in scoring position for Dylan Beavers, who delivered a two-run double to right-center, knotting the score at 5-5.

Minnesota briefly reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh on a solo home run by Royce Lewis, his second of the year. But that 6-5 lead was short-lived, evaporating in the home half during the decisive Baltimore rally.

The Twins threatened again in the eighth, loading the bases with one out against reliever Rico Garcia. Gray came through again with an RBI single to make it 8-7. Garcia, however, struck out Kody Clemens and Byron Buxton swinging to strand the bases loaded and preserve the lead.

Baltimore’s Ryan Helsley worked a scoreless ninth for his second save, navigating around a leadoff single and a two-out error. He got James Outman to fly out to left to end the game.

The winning pitcher was Garcia, who recorded the final out of the seventh and navigated the eighth-inning jam for his first victory. Abel took the loss for Minnesota, charged with three runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Offensively, both teams collected 12 hits. For Baltimore, O’Neill’s three-run homer was the key blow, while Beavers drove in two. Mayo had two hits and the go-ahead RBI. For the Twins, Josh Bell went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two walks, scoring twice.

The game, which lasted 3 hours and 13 minutes, concluded a three-game series where the home team won each contest. The result contradicted a pregame simulation by Interstat that projected a 2-1 Twins victory, though Baltimore’s ELO rating gave them a 57.6% probability to win. The combined 14 runs sailed over the pregame over/under line of 9.

The Twins travel to Kansas City to open a three-game series with the Royals on Monday. The Orioles will remain home to begin a three-game set against the Texas Rangers, also on Monday.