Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Aubrey Huff homered twice and neither starting pitcher got through the third inning as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 in the series opener of a three-game set.

Starter Radhames Liz pitched two-plus innings for Baltimore, allowing five runs on four hits and four walks while striking out a pair. Lance Cormier (1-2) pitched two scoreless innings, yielding one hit and a walk to pick up the win. George Sherrill pitched a scoreless, but rocky ninth to notch his 25th save.

"Sherrill is a tough nut -- he won't crack. The guy's makeup and sense of competitiveness is as good as I've ever seen," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said.

Huff was 4-for-5 with three RBI, finishing a triple short of the cycle and Brian Roberts had a hit in each of the first three innings for Baltimore, which has won four consecutive games to climb four games above .500 (38-34).

Jeff Suppan (4-5) was rocked for six runs -- three earned -- in 1 2/3 innings on seven hits and two walks with a strikeout.

"It was a night he didn't have it. He wasn't sharp," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He just struggled from the onset. You have those nights, you do what you have to to get through it and move on."

Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy each homered for the Brewers, who had a four- game winning streak snapped.

Baltimore's first three batters singled to open the game and spark a four-run rally. Roberts and Nick Markakis led off for the Orioles and were on the corners for Melvin Mora, who knocked in Roberts for a 1-0 lead.

Two batters later Ramon Hernandez grounded to Suppan but the pitcher made an errant throw to first, allowing Hernandez to reach second as Markakis scored and Mora advanced to third. A Luke Scott sacrifice fly scored Mora before Adam Jones singled to plate Hernandez from second.

Milwaukee's first five batters reached base in a two-run first. Hardy cut the Orioles lead in half with his fifth home run to score Craig Counsell, who walked to begin the inning. Ryan Braun singled and Fielder walked to put two men on with no outs. Corey Hart reached on a fielder's choice and Braun advanced to third, but Liz picked off Hart at first and struck out Russell Branyan looking to end the threat.

The Orioles added two more runs in the second with a two-out rally. Roberts hit a one-out double and Mora walked two batters later to set up Huff. The first baseman singled to score Roberts and move Mora to third. Hernandez then singled to score Mora. A Scott walk was enough to chase Suppan from the game for Mark DiFelice, who struck out Jones to end the inning.

Jason Kendall drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the inning and scored on a Counsell two-out single.

Liz was knocked from the game soon after Suppan, as Fielder blasted his 14th home run to make it 6-5 with no outs in the bottom of the third. Braun, who walked to begin the inning, also scored. Cormier relieved Liz and retired the next three batters to retain the lead.

Huff led off the fourth with a homer to extend the lead to two again. In the top of the eighth he struck again with his 14th round-tripper, this time with two outs, to make it 8-5.

Milwaukee loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth but was unable to post a run against Sherrill. Braun reached on an infield single and moved to second on defensive indifference before Fielder walked. Braun then advanced to third on another defensive indifference and Hart walked. Pinch-hitter Bill Hall struck out, however, and was followed by Gabe Kapler grounding into a game- ending double play.

"I don't get nervous when I'm out there. I was able to make some pitches and make the defense work," Sherrill said.