masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgEarl Weaver would approve.
The Orioles used a pair of three-run homers today to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-7 and ruin the 105th home opener in Fenway Park history. The Orioles improved to 6-0 for the first time in team history.
This was just the second time in 12 years that Boston lost its home opener. The Orioles’ three-run shots came off Boston’s two prized winter pitching acquisitions in Craig Kimbrel and David Price.
Tied at 6-6 in the top of the ninth, Chris Davis crushed a three-run shot…

Earl Weaver would approve.

The Orioles used a pair of three-run homers today to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-7 and ruin the 105th home opener in Fenway Park history. The Orioles improved to 6-0 for the first time in team history.

This was just the second time in 12 years that Boston lost its home opener. The Orioles’ three-run shots came off Boston’s two prized winter pitching acquisitions in Craig Kimbrel and David Price.

davis-watching-homer-at-royals-sidebar.pngTied at 6-6 in the top of the ninth, Chris Davis crushed a three-run shot off Kimbrel, the new Boston closer. Kimbrel walked Caleb Joseph and Manny Machado ahead of the Davis blast, which came on an 0-1 pitch. He turned around a 97 mph fastball for a long homer to center. It was No. 3 for Davis, who had five RBIs on the day.

In the last of the ninth, Mookie Betts led off with a solo homer off Zach Britton. But Britton would get David Ortiz to bounce into a huge double play and then strike out Hanley Ramirez to end it. It was his third save. Brad Brach, who has pitched 5 1/3 hitless and scoreless innings on the year, got the win by pitching a 1-2-3 eighth.

After giving up just two hits over five innings in his first start, O’s right-hander Yovani Gallardo allowed hits to the first four batters he faced today. Boston scored three times in the first for the 3-0 lead as Xander Bogaerts and Ortiz hit RBI singles and Ramirez added a sac fly.

But the Orioles rose up to produce a five-run third against Price, who signed a $217 million deal with Boston over the winter. They loaded the bases with one out on a Joseph single, Joey Rickard walk and a hit-by-pitch of Machado.

Then Davis looped a two-run single to center for his third and fourth RBIs of the season. The big blast shortly followed. Mark Trumbo crushed a 1-1 pitch, a 95 mph fastball, for a three-run homer just to the right of center field. That made it 5-3 Orioles.

Trumbo, who began the day batting .474 on nine singles, produced his first extra-base hit, homer and RBIs all with one swing. His blast traveled 421 feet.

Boston would tie it 5-5 though in the fourth on RBIs from Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts. The teams exchanged single runs in the sixth for a 6-6 tie. J.J. Hardy and Jonathan Schoop hit back-to-back doubles for the O’s, and Bradley Jr. drove in a run with a grounder to tie the game.

Gallardo went five innings allowing seven hits and five runs with one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 96 pitches. Price, who began the day 8-4 with an ERA of 2.65 in 19 career starts against Baltimore, also went just five innings. He allowed five hits and five runs, throwing 103 pitches.

The Orioles look for a 7-0 start tomorrow night at Fenway Park when Mike Wright makes his season debut and faces right-hander Clay Buchholz (0-0, 11.25 ERA).