O's From the Booth - Opening Day Edition

Good evening O's fans and Happy Opening Day 2013. O's from the Booth returns in 2013!!!  I hope I can get some readers and hope everyone enjoys as much as I enjoy writing it.  This is the greatest time of the year.  It is even better this year as the O's are coming off their best season in 15 years and we are still riding high from the Ravens winning the Super Bowl.    The O's opened up the season today right where they left off last year.  It was a total team effort today just the way they like it.   The O's got great pitching and timely hitting late in the game after struggling most of the game with runners in scoring position.   They got big days from Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Brian Roberts and a well pitched game from Jason Hammel. The bullpen picked up right where it left off only giving up one run over the final 3 innings.  Adam Jones jump started the O's offense off of Cy Young winner David Price with a double in the 1st and then Matt Wieters was right behind him with a 2 run blast deep into the left field stands.  The O's got to Price early which is key against him.  They had a great approach against Price today taking pitches and making him throw strikes and forcing his pitch count up early.    They really could have chased him early but struggled with runners in scoring position only going 3-13.   Price left the after the 6th throwing 100 pitches and trailing 2-1.  Jason Hammel had one bad inning and it came in the bottom half of the 6th. After walking Kelly Johnson, Greg Desmond Jennings doubled driving in Johnson tying the game at 2.  Sam Fuld sacrificed Jennnings to 3rd and then Zobrist hits a sac fly to center and all of the sudden the small ball Rays have the lead 3-2 and Price has a chance to win.   This is where the Orioles picked up right off where they did last year.  They did not let losing the lead phase them at all and picked up their starter.   The Rays went to their hard throwing left out of the pen Jake Mcgee. After a Steve Pierce fly out, Brian Roberts singles after being down 0-2, Markakis singled after being down 0-2, and then Machado struck out.  With two outs, Adam Jones rips a double into the gap driving in Roberts and Markakis and the O's regained the lead 4-3.   The Rays then intentionally walk Wieters bringing up Chris Davis.  Davis on the first pitch he sees belts a 95 mph fastball into the right field seats breaking the game open giving the O's a 7-3 lead.   The bullpen came in and finished it up only giving up one run in the bottom of the 8th.  Jim Johnson came in to close it out in the 9th for his first save of the year.   What a great start for the O's.  The O's have the 3rd best record all time on opening with a 66-46-1 record.  (Yes, they tied back in 1927 against the Detroit Tigers back when they were the St. Louis Browns)  Let's hope the O's roll along in Tampa and come up with another win tomorrow!!!!  Let's Go O's!!!!!