The last time the Orioles played a game at Camden Yards, fans arrived anxious and departed apoplectic.
With hopes of a World Series run, the Orioles were again swept out of the postseason. Baltimore lost both wild-card series games to the Kansas City Royals, extending its playoff losing streak to 10 games. Another season with potential ended in a thud, and it left the organization searching for answers and its fans questioning whether the Orioles would ever get over the hump.
Monday’s home opener at Oriole Park had none of the same emotions as that crushing loss 180 days ago. Under bright blue skies and 82-degree weather, Baltimore fans packed Camden Yards, screamed “O” during the national anthem and watched their local nine come out victorious.
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The Orioles exploded for four runs in the first inning and added four more in the eighth en route to an 8-5 win over the Boston Red Sox to send the announced 45,002 fans home happy. After opening the season with a four-game split against the Blue Jays in Toronto, the win Monday afternoon improved Baltimore to 3-2 on the young season.
The first Orioles hitters to step to the plate — Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman, Tyler O’Neill and Ryan Mountcastle — reached base with singles off left-hander Sean Newcomb to give Baltimore an early 2-0 lead. Then, with two outs, Cedric Mullins, who received one of the loudest pregame cheers from fans before what could be his last home opener in Baltimore, ripped a two-run double to right-center field, doubling the Orioles’ advantage and bringing those same fans to their feet once again.
The offense went dormant for the next six innings before coming alive just in time to tack on some much-needed insurance runs. Heston Kjerstad, starting in place of the injured Colton Cowser, smacked an RBI single to put Baltimore up 5-3. Mullins delivered again with a two-run single, and Jackson Holliday’s second opposite-field hit of the afternoon drove in the Orioles’ final run.
Those runs gave starting pitcher Cade Povich and his bullpen just enough cushion against a talented Boston lineup. Povich, 24, made his first opening day roster as the Orioles’ No. 5 starter, winning the job after a stellar spring. It was far from a perfect start for Baltimore’s former top pitching prospect, but he flashed his potential throughout his outing with eight strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Povich gave up two runs in the second and another in the third as Boston’s patient hitters elevated the southpaw’s pitch count. The four relievers behind him — Matt Bowman, Seranthony Domínguez, Keegan Akin and Yennier Cano — were stellar, allowing only one base runner in 3 2/3 innings.
Félix Bautista finished it off in the ninth after a raucous ovation from fans. For the first time since injuring his elbow at Camden Yards nearly 600 days ago, the 6-foot-8 closer jogged in from the bullpen with Omar’s whistle from “The Wire” blaring from the speakers and the stadium lights flickering. Boston scored two runs off Bautista and put the tying run to the plate, but “The Mountain” capped off the win by getting Alex Bregman to pop out.
This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Jacob Calvin Meyer at jameyer@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/JCalvinMeyer.
Red Sox at Orioles
Wednesday, 6:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM