Zimmermann, Mullins and O’s come up big in home opener win

The Orioles won 2-0 in the first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on April 6, 1992. Today, in the beginning game of their 30th anniversary season, they beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0.

Rick Sutcliffe was not around to pitch a gem in just over two hours this time, but it was a satisfying win for Birdland nonetheless, the Orioles’ first of the year.

Bruce Zimmermann teamed with four relievers as the O’s won in front of a sellout crowd of 44,461 to improve to 1-3 and drop Milwaukee to the same 1-3 record.

Zimmermann showed poise - and that the moment was not too big for him this afternoon - with four scoreless innings.

O’s starters had allowed 10 earned runs over 10 2/3 innings to start the year and the last two starters – Jordan Lyles and Tyler Wells – had allowed nine runs in 6 2/3 innings.

But the local kid made, a product of Loyola Blakefield and Towson University, made good in his 15th career O’s start. He allowed three hits as Milwaukee went 3-for-15 against him and walked two with four strikeouts. Zimmermann threw 66 pitches and mixed his stuff well, using his fastball 44 percent of the time.

It was another good outing at Camden Yards for Zimmermann, who went 3-2 with a 3.89 ERA in seven home games last season. When he struck out Kolten Wong to strand a runner at second in the second, the crowd chanted “Bruuuce” as he headed for the dugout. An inning later, Zimmermann got Hunter Renfroe to ground out with the bases loaded. Cedric Mullins made a nice running catch to help him put up a zero in the fourth.

Pitching and defense, a tried-and-true O’s formula from back in the day, carried the afternoon with the lefty on the hill.

Through five innings, the Orioles were just 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-32 for the season. But the one they got was huge.

Mullins’ two-out, bases-loaded single to right-center in the last of second gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead and brought the opening day crowd to its feet. Mullins had started the year 2-for-12 with eight strikeouts.

Third baseman Ramón Urías singled to start the O’s second, and one out later, Austin Hays lined out to center on a nice catch by the Brewers’ Tyrone Taylor (who had crashed into the wall to record the third out and rob Trey Mancini of extra bases and an RBI in the first inning). After his catch versus Hays, the O’s No. 8 and No. 9 hitters, Jorge Mateo and Robinson Chirinos, both walked to set the stage with the sacks full for Mullins, the 2021 unanimous Most Valuable Oriole.

Mullins then lined a 2-1 sinker from Milwaukee starter Adrian Houser into right-center to score Urías and the speedy Mateo for the 2-0 lead. Mullins’ liner had an exit velocity of 109 mph and produced half as many runs on one swing as the Orioles had scored in three games against Tampa Bay.

The O’s had other chances to score with Milwaukee’s defense coming up big several times. The O’s hit eight balls at 98 mph or better with not much to show for it.

But they do have a win to show for the solid pitching and defense and a pleasing win in their opener at Oriole Park. Mike Baumann, who threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings following Zimmermann, got the win and Jorge López recorded his second career save.

The Orioles improved to 45-24 all-time in home openers and snapped a three-game losing streak in such games.