BALTIMORE -- Could Sunday night have gone any better for the Orioles?
They beat Pedro Martinez and the Boston Red Sox in front of a nationwide audience. And their reintroduction into baseball's consciousness was fueled by the four players who were signed this winter to make the resurgence happen.
Sure, it's only one game and the Red Sox will be back for more Tuesday, but the Orioles certainly looked impressive in their 7-2 win in front of a Camden Yards sellout crowd of 47,683. The fans weathered 40-degree temperatures and a brisk wind for what turned out to be a splendid ballgame.
The hitting trio of Miguel Tejada, Javy Lopez and Rafael Palmeiro combined for seven hits and four RBIs, and Sidney Ponson had a successful debut as the team's No. 1 starter, tossing 5 2/3 one-hit innings against one of the league's top lineups.
And new manager Lee Mazzilli earned a win in his first game as manager.
"I would say it was pretty overwhelming," Mazzilli said. "You want to manage a big-league team, to go up against Pedro in the first game. It shows something for the character of this team."
It was a impressive debut for the Big Three.
Palmeiro, in his return to Camden Yards after a five-year absence, had two hits, including a single to left field against a shift defense, which scored the fourth run.
Tejada, in his first game after signing a team-record $72 million deal in December, had two hits and played stellar defense at short not seen in Baltimore since Cal Ripken Jr. manned the spot.
One pitch was all it took for Lopez to endear himself to the Camden Yards faithful. He lined Martinez's first pitch for a home run in the second and then launched a two-run double to right-center in the decisive seventh.
Martinez (0-1) was roughed up for three runs in the second inning but was typical Pedro after that. He allowed two earned runs and seven hits in six innings but left after 93 pitches with no chance to win.
Some of the Orioles players admitted it was not vintage Martinez. He relied on his offspeed pitches instead of his fastball. His velocity was down. But to Orioles players, it was still Pedro.
"He's still the same pitcher, he's still the best," Tejada said. "Thank God he gave us opportunities to score runs early against him. He's still hard to hit, man. We just tried to touch the ball against him."
The Orioles sealed the game with three runs in the seventh inning off former Oriole Mike Timlin. Melvin Mora singled and eventually scored on a Palmeiro single to right-center. Lopez followed with a booming double to right-center to cash in Tejada and Palmeiro.
Sidney Ponson (1-0) entered Sunday with a 1-9 record and a 6.56 ERA against the Red Sox, including a 2 1/3-inning performance in his season debut last April 5. But this was a different Ponson. He exuded confidence and pitched well in jams.
With one out in the second, Gabe Kapler hit a playable grounder to third base, but Mora, making his first appearance at third since 2000, allowed the ball to roll under his glove for an error. Ponson avoided any mental lapses and struck out Jason Varitek just before Kapler was thrown out while attempting to steal second base.
Martinez was not sharp in the early going. The Orioles could have tallied some runs in the first, but Mora was thrown out by Ramirez at third base on Palmeiro's bloop single.
Baltimore, though, went right back to work on Martinez in an emotionally charged second inning.
Lopez began the second by lining Martinez's first pitch over the wall in the left-field corner for the lead. Jay Gibbons then followed with a ground single to left, and Martinez appeared irritated.
He then hit close friend and former Montreal teammate David Segui in the right shoulder with a pitch. Segui laid on the dirt briefly, rose quickly and flipped his bat toward the dugout. Martinez then followed with a high and tight pitch to Larry Bigbie, making him hit the dirt.
"I was just hoping it got away from [Martinez]," Mazzilli said of the pitch to Segui.
Bigbie tapped a comebacker to Martinez, who checked Segui running to second base before throwing past Millar at first to score Gibbons for a 2-0 lead. Luis Matos then followed with a single to left field to cash in Segui.
When in trouble, Martinez responded with some sparkling pitching. He struck out Brian Roberts and Mora and got Tejada to fly out to end the rally. He allowed two hits after the second inning.
Ponson's only nemesis was lack of command. He issued a walk to light-hitting Pokey Reese with one out in the third. Johnny Damon was called out for running inside the base line on a tapper to Ponson, and Reese was sent back to first base. After Millar singled to left field, Ramirez muscled an inside fastball off Ponson's glove and into center field to score Reese.
The Red Sox put two more on base with two outs in the fifth, but Millar was completely confused by Ponson's changeup and struck out on three pitches.
Ponson limited the Red Sox to just one run but was piling up the pitches. It took 92 pitches to get through the fifth, and the right-hander then walked Mark Bellhorn and Reese with two outs in the sixth. Mazzilli then removed him in favor of Rodrigo Lopez.
Ponson allowed seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, walking three and striking out three.
"I'm not too happy with it because I didn't go long enough, but I am happy with the outcome," Ponson said. "I'll admit, I was as nervous tonight as my first Major League game. But I pitched well enough to win, and the bullpen picked me up."
Lopez, moved to the bullpen last week, fell behind Damon 3-1 before inducing a bouncer to short to end the threat. B.J. Ryan tossed 1 2/3 innings for his first save.
Oh *sigh* How sweet it is. Sure, who THOUGHT that Sidney Ponson would beat the Red Sox's ace, Pedro Martinez? Who thought Pedro would get into a jam in the 2nd inning, including a first pitch HR for (my) Javy Lopez? Oh how sweet it is... *smiles* Oh God, Im so glad that baseball is back. I love life and it loves me....wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
DA2KOKIB and AL19FL!(Adam LaRoche #19 for life!)
Jules