The birds are flying high at Oriole Park.
After defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-3 Sunday and improving their record to 5-0, the Baltimore Orioles have officially tied the team's best ever start to a season. Ironically, the Orioles were also the last team to pick up a win during spring training.
The last and only time the Orioles opened the season 5-0, they went on to win the 1970 World Series.
| Date | Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| April 4 | Twins | W 3-2 |
| April 6 | Twins | W 4-2 |
| April 7 | Twins | W 4-2 |
| April 8 | Rays | W 6-1 |
| April 10 | Rays | W 5-3 |
While new acquisitions, slugger Pedro Alvarez and outfielder Mark Trumbo, bolstered an already impressive Orioles offense which featured Chris Davis and Manny Machado, it's Baltimore's pitching staff that's been key to the hot start. Orioles hurlers have a combined 1.50 ERA and are limiting their opponents to a .205 batting average through the opening five contests.
"They gave us a chance to win all five games," manager Buck Showalter told reporters after the game. "If we do that, we’ll have some fun this summer."
Showalter also lauded his heavy hitters for their defensive brilliance while taking a lighthearted jab at sabermetrics supporters.
"We all know what Chris can do with the ball," he said. "He's really making sure he pulls the ball and sets up Trum (Mark Trumbo) there if he makes an out. We kid around. We call them POFOs - productive outs For Orioles. It’s a new analytics, Orioles-style, I guess. Things like that."
Baltimore currently sits atop the AL East standings, two games above the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.
