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(Sports Network) - Jon Garland makes his Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim debut this evening, as the Halos try to avoid their first 0-2 start in seven years in the second contest of their four-game season-opening series with the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome.

Garland, acquired in November from the Chicago White Sox for slick-fielding shortstop Orlando Cabrera, was 10-13 for the Southsiders a year ago, while pitching to a 4.23 earned run average.

The 28-year-old righty was brought to Anaheim with the idea that he would add even more depth to an already solid rotation, but injuries to ace John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar have thrust him into a much bigger role, at least early on.

Pitching his entire career in the AL Central, Garland is no stranger to the Twins. In 26 starts against them, though, he is just 7-8 with a 4.57 ERA. Garland was 0-2 with a 9.35 ERA last season against Minnesota.

Minnesota will counter with 26-year-old right-hander Boof Bonser, who was 8-12 last season with a 5.10 ERA. Bonser was absolutely abysmal down the stretch for the Twins, as he won just four of his final 20 starts, while pitching to a 5.94 ERA.

Bonser has faced the Angels three times and is 0-2 with a 6.27 ERA.

Los Angeles dropped its season-opener for the first time since 2003 on Monday, as newly-acquired Carlos Gomez had two hits, a pair of stolen bases and scored twice to lead Minnesota to a 3-2 win.

Gomez was the centerpiece of the deal that landed two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana with the New York Mets and is the replacement in centerfield for Torii Hunter, who signed a mega five-year deal with the Angels this winter after spending the first 11 years of his career with the Twins.

A seven-time Gold Glove winner during his time in Minnesota, Hunter was greeted with signs of "Welcome back Torii" and "This is Torii's Territory" on his return to Minneapolis. The crowd of 49,596 gave him a standing ovation in his first plate appearance, a fly out to right-center field in the second inning. Hunter finished the night 0-for-4.

Livan Hernandez (1-0), pitching in the AL for the first time in his 13-year career, earned the win in his Twin Cities debut, as he scattered seven hits and allowed two runs over seven innings.

Joe Nathan worked the ninth inning for the save.

Joe Mauer, Michael Cuddyer and Mike Lamb all singled in runs for Minnesota, which will be trying to start 2-0 for the second straight season.

Jered Weaver (0-1) was charged with eight hits and three runs over 6 1/3 innings to suffer the loss.

The Angels went 6-3 against Minnesota last season and have won 16 of the last 26 matchups in the series.