Another look at the sixth opening day shutout in O's history

As far as opening day games go, this one was hard to beat.

John Means was dealing, Trey Mancini officially returned to the sport and young Ryan Mountcastle came up with a clutch two-run double. The Orioles had their first win of the year and first shutout on opening day in 16 years.

Means joined a list of five O's starters who took the ball in an opener where the team would go on to win by a shutout.

* 1973, O's win 10-0 versus Milwaukee. Dave McNally pitched a three-hitter with no walks and one strikeout.

* 1975, O's win 10-0 at Detroit. Jim Palmer pitched a complete-game three-hitter with no walks and four strikeouts.

* 1976, O's win 1-0 versus Boston. Palmer went eight innings on six hits with two walks, three strikeouts.

* 1992, O's win 2-0 versus Cleveland. Rick Sutcliffe pitched a complete-game five-hitter with one walk, six strikeouts.

* 2005, O's win 4-0 versus Oakland. Rodrigo López went six innings on seven hits with one walk, two strikeouts.

So the club moved to Baltimore in 1954, then waited until 1973 for its first opening day shutout and then had three in four years. The next would not come until the 1992 game when they opened Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Sutcliffe made quick work of the Indians in two hours and two minutes. The Orioles have had 10 opening day wins since the López game in 2005, with no shutouts until yesterday.

The Red Sox had not been shut out on opening day since Palmer beat them in 1976.

Means gave up a leadoff single in the last of the first, and then there just one more baserunner against him. Xander Bogaerts reached on an error by Maikel Franco at third in the second inning. After that play, Means retired the last 18 in a row as Boston went 1-for-22 (.045) against him.

On a day when a few Red Sox players would hug O's first baseman Trey Mancini as they welcomed him back to the game, others couldn't get to the base to greet him.

Means threw 97 pitches, 65 for strikes. He used his fastball 49 percent of the time with an average velocity of 91.7 mph. Each of his pitches were down in the velocity department Friday, which mostly seemed to be because of the frigid temps. Means threw his changeup 31 percent of the time and got eight whiffs on 16 swings against that pitch. He threw his curveball 17 percent, landing a few for first-pitch strikes to keep Boston guessing and off stride.

Means was asked what he could do for an encore.

"A full season of it," he said. "Being consistent and going out there every fifth day and doing what I did. Just staying loose, staying fluid through the zone. Just staying with it. We've got a long season left. It's game No. 1 of 162, so got to keep going with it."

Mountcastle's two-run double to left with the bases loaded in the sixth broke the scoreless tie. Mountcastle felt the 3-1 pitch from reliever Matt Andriese was outside for ball four and the lead. But it was called strike two, even though GameTracker showed it was outside. The next pitch, per GameTracker, was not a strike either. It was a few inches inside. But Mountcastle turned around that 93 mph four-seamer and hit it off the Green Monster for a Baltimore lead.

"He's a special talent," Means said of Mountcastle. "He's got a great mentality for this game. I don't think any moment's too big for him. I think he stays within himself really, really well. You're going to be seeing this kid for a long time. He's a great player and the Orioles are lucky to have him."

The Orioles outhit Boston 9-2 as three pitchers teamed on a two-hitter. Tanner Scott pitched out of a jam in the eighth and César Valdez got the save in the ninth. Boston batters went 2-for-29 with two walks and eight strikeouts.

Yep, as openers go, it was hard to top.

.@JMeans25 retired his last 18 batters today.

We have nothing more to add. pic.twitter.com/2hYpmZV3EY

-- Baltimore Orioles 😷 (@Orioles) April 2, 2021

Ryan Mountcastle: Monster. pic.twitter.com/RLXeKzVhml

-- Baltimore Orioles 😷 (@Orioles) April 2, 2021