O's rock Fenway: 'This is just the start'

The last time the Orioles opened the season this well in 2016, they arrived at Opening Day with a veteran team and playoff expectations, then parlayed a season-opening sweep of the Twins into 89 wins and a berth in the American League Wild Card Game. The '21 O’s are engineered differently, their goals more long-term in scope. But the early results? So far, pristine.

One weekend in, the Orioles are one of two undefeated AL teams (along with the Astros) after throttling the Red Sox, 11-3, in an Easter Sunday rout at Fenway Park. Springing to an early double-digit lead behind a seven-run third inning, Baltimore cruised to its first season-opening sweep since 2016 and its first sweep in Boston since Aug. 25-27, 2017.

• Box score

“It was a really, really great weekend,” winning pitcher Bruce Zimmermann said. “It's just a great confidence booster for this team, and I think we're going to surprise a lot of people this year. So this is just the start.”

The Orioles did it with contributions up and down the lineup, with Cedric Mullins’ five-hit game out of the leadoff spot pacing their 17-hit attack. Four O’s enjoyed a multihit game, and four drove in multiple runs in support of Zimmermann, the rookie left-hander who logged six solid innings en route to his first Major League victory. By feasting in chilly conditions on Garrett Richards after two close victories, Baltimore outscored the Red Sox by 13 runs (18-5) in the three-game series despite not hitting a home run.

One weekend, of course, does not nearly make a season. But if nothing else, the past three days in Boston provided optimism for a rebuilding club preparing to see signs of growth, whether in the arrival of more top prospects or further development from building blocks already in the house.

Let’s take a look at some important developments from this weekend that might hint at more to come:

1. The top of the order is clicking
Sunday’s victory was a team effort, with all but one Orioles starter recording at least one hit and the top three hitters -- Mullins, Trey Mancini and Anthony Santander -- combining for 10. But the key was Mullins, who is 9-for-13 on the season following his 5-for-5 day. Consider the difference between that and two years ago, when Mullins began 6-for-59 and finished the season at Double-A Bowie.

Mullins' nine hits are the most by an Oriole through the first three games. Billy Gardner (1957), Paul Blair ('75) and Brady Anderson ('97) shared the record of eight.

“He’s doing everything extremely well,” Hyde said.

• Stat of the Day: Can't stop Cedric

Mullins, who reached base in all six plate appearances Sunday, notched the Orioles' first five-hit game since Mancini on Sept. 24, 2019. He doubled and scored in the first, doubled in the second, singled and scored in the third, singled again in the fourth, walked in the seventh and doubled and scored in the ninth.

Mullins is the first Oriole, and sixth player since 1952, to record five hits, three doubles and at least one walk in a game. The last player? Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach against the Tigers on July 30, 2008.

“It’s relaxing, and I’m able to go up there and stay locked in on my at-bats,” Mullins said. “It’s really important to stay locked in right now.”

2. Pitching holding up
The bats weren’t the reason for the low expectations trailing the Orioles heading into 2021. The bigger one was the pitching -- specifically, a starting rotation that, even after the dust settled this spring, remained full of questions behind Opening Day starter John Means. This weekend masked just about all of them.

Means was simply masterful Friday, the bullpen held the line behind Matt Harvey on Saturday and Zimmermann cruised Sunday in his second career start. Pitching with a 10-run lead at times, Zimmermann struck out five against one walk, allowing little besides J.D. Martinez’s solo homer and RBI double. The bullpen performed all weekend, combining to log 9 1/3 scoreless innings.

3. Fundamentally sound
Might these Orioles be better defensively than they’ve been the past few seasons? They struggled in the field all spring, and they were not a strong defensive team in 2019 or '20, with lots of young players and some playing out of position at times. Looking around the diamond this year, fewer holes are plain to see, especially with Rio Ruiz turning heads at second base in place of Yolmer Sánchez, an American League Gold Glove Award winner with the White Sox in '19.

Mullins is an impact defender in center. Santander was an AL Gold Glove Award finalist last year in right. Austin Hays -- who left Sunday’s win with a right hamstring injury -- allowed Hyde to shield Ryan Mountcastle from Fenway’s Green Monster in left all weekend. Mancini is back at his natural position of first base full time, and Freddy Galvis and Maikel Franco provide solid veteran gloves on the left side. The O’s committed only one error all weekend, and they generally did not beat themselves in ways they have in the recent past.

“I think the synergy that we have as a team is really strong,” Mullins said. “We’ve been playing with each other for a few years now, and everything is starting to click. We have an idea of our playing style, how to keep our heads up regardless of whether they’re having success or not. And it's showing.”