The usual orange pomp and circumstance combined with the somber mood surrounding the week’s tragedy to make for a memorable Opening Day in Baltimore. Following the approval by MLB of David Rubenstein’s purchase of the team on Wednesday, he and some of the ownership group, namely Mike Arougheti, Mitchell Goldstein, Michael Smith and Cal Ripken Jr were visible and present. A moment of silence was held for the victims of the Key Bridge tragedy, a replica of the flag that flew over Ft. McHenry, inspiring Francis Scott Key, was draped over the batter’s eye and the “O” during the national anthem was loud and proud.
The Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels ushered in the new season at 3:14 pm in front of a mainly orange-clad crowd of 45,029 Birdland fanatics and ended it a 5:57 pm with aa 11-3 Orioles victory.
The story of the game was the Orioles debut of RHP Corbin Burnes (1-0). Burnes gave the team a quality start, allowing one run on one hit, a Mike Trout homerun in the first inning, over 6.0 innings. He struck out 11 and did so with 82 pitches (56 strikes). Burnes retired all of the sixteen batters he faced after the Trout homer.
Mike Baumann (1.0 IP, BB), Dillon Tate (1.0 IP, R 2 H, 2 BB, K) and Keegan Akin (1.0 IP, 2 K) closed it out.
The offense followed the Burnes lead with Anthony Santander going 1 for 4 with a homerun, a run scored and 4 RBI to pace that offense.
Cedric Mullins also homered to finish the day 1 for 4 with a run scored and 3 RBI.
Adley Rutschman went 2 for 4 with 3 runs scored, 2 RBI and a walk.
Jorge Mateo went 1 for 3 with a double, 2 runs scored, a walk and a stolen base.
Gunnar Henderson went 1 for 4 with a run scored and a walk.
2024 Record: 1-0
NEXT GAME: Sat. 3/30 @ 4:05 pm vs. LA Angels