Reliever Pedro Araujo, the Rule 5 pick who's making the jump from Single-A Myrtle Beach to the majors, came out of the Orioles bullpen for the first time this afternoon. It wasn't a save situation.
Araujo didn't protect a slim lead and no one had to save him.
Veteran Darren O'Day played the role of adviser to Araujo, with more tips to come later in the day. The first step was to make sure he didn't lose his footing upon being introduced to the crowd.
"My first advice is don't trip going down the orange carpet," O'Day said. "I remember the first time I had to run down, I was pretty nervous about that. But in terms of baseball, I'll talk to him in the bullpen a little bit. When it's quiet and we're on our own. I'll talk to him a little bit, tell him it's the same game and all that."
O'Day will deliver the same message to Rule 5 left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr., straight talk from the sidearmer. It comes from a guy who's experiencing his 11th opening day.
It could be his first, second or 10th. The feeling doesn't change.
"No, it's still really exciting and I still get the opening day butterflies," he said. "I think that's a good thing. If I was over it, maybe it would be time to go home. But it's an exciting time of the year. It really is.
"The media actually looks presentable for one day of the year. Everybody's dressed in their nicest clothes. And it's the beginning of a new year, so there's a lot of excitement in the room."
Araujo called today "a dream come true."
"Super excited, super excited," he said through translator Ramón Alarcón, the smile on his face easily understood. "I'm out of words. It's a joy to be here. I've very blessed right now."
After wearing No. 75 in spring training, the same as bullpen coach Alan Mills, Araujo was given No. 38 upon arriving in Baltimore.
"It's the number I've been using in the minor leagues," he said. "I've always liked that number and that's why I chose 38."
One of the best numbers of the day is 65, the game time temperature. Orioles fans also liked 1-2-3, which was Dylan Bundy's first inning on two fly balls to right field and one to left. No Sarasota wind to cause trouble on two that reached the warning track.
Bundy threw mostly fastballs in the first while retiring the side in order on 12 pitches.
Leadoff hitter Chris Davis worked the count full against Twins starter Jake Odorizzi and flied to left field. The guy saw six pitches. He's getting the hang of it already.
Manny Machado saw one pitch and doubled to right. Jonathan Schoop ran the count to 3-0 and struck out, swinging from the heels at the fourth pitch.
Craig Gentry got the start in right field and made a leaping catch in front of the grounds crew shed to rob Eddie Rosario leading off the second. Bundy retired the side in order again with two more fly balls and a called third strike on Eduardo Escobar.
The pregame ceremonies included a moment of silence for members of the Orioles family who passed away since last opening day, including Don Baylor, Lee May, Sammy Stewart, former scouts Mel Didier and Ray Poitevint, former pitcher and coach Herm Starrette and minor league pitcher Miguel Gonzalez.
Alex Cobb received a nice ovation before boarding a flight back to Sarasota. Major League Baseball gave him permission to be in uniform after the Orioles optioned him to Double-A Bowie.
Manager Buck Showalter received his usual ovation, which is the loudest of the day. Adam Jones rivaled it, though.
Mark Trumbo and Zach Britton came out of the dugout rather than jog down the carpet. Britton walked, but you know he wanted to be in the bullpen like everyone else.
Former head athletic trainer Richie Bancells, who retired after 41 years in the organization, threw the ceremonial first pitch to Jones. They embraced and everyone in the Orioles dugout came out to hug Bancells and pose for a photo.
Hard to top that moment.
Update: Caleb Joseph broke a scoreless tie in the seventh with a two-run triple off left-hander Zach Duke.
Joseph has three career triples, the most recent before today coming on May 12, 2017 in Kansas City.
Duke struck out four batters in the inning, but also threw two wild pitches - the first allowing Trey Mancini to reach - and issued an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Danny Valencia.
Bundy shut out the Twins on five hits over seven innings with one walk and seven strikeouts. He threw 88 pitches, 64 for strikes.
Update II: Darren O'Day retired the side in order in the eighth, but Brad Brach loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and Robbie Grossman's bloop single into center field tied the game 2-2.
Brach walked two batters, losing an 11-pitch battle with Max Kepler to load the bases with two outs. Eddie Rosario had reached on an infield hit after Davis lost a chopper in the lights.
Mychal Givens has replaced Brach.
Update III: Adam Jones homered on the first pitch from Fernando Rodney in the bottom of the 11th to give the Orioles a 3-2 win.
The Orioles are 8-0 on opening day with Showalter as manager.
Richard Bleier is credited with the win after stranding a runner on third base in the top of the inning.
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