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Baltimore Orioles flip script in thrilling win to kick off 2017 season

By Nate Wardle

Apr 3, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles players celebrate after designated hitter Mark Trumbo (not pictured) hit a walk-off home run to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles players celebrate after designated hitter Mark Trumbo (not pictured) hit a walk-off home run to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 3, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Mark Trumbo (45) hits a walk-off home run in the eleventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Mark Trumbo (45) hits a walk-off home run in the eleventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

Offense

The Baltimore Orioles’ offense again was a maddening display of good hitting, followed by bad hitting, punctuated with a home run that had a huge effect on the game. Seems to be the new Oriole Way, right?

Of course, that home run was the walk-off shot by Mark Trumbo that sent the Orioles and their fans home happy. Before that, the Orioles had done virtually nothing since the 3rd inning, when they took a 2-0 lead on a Chris Davis single (he was thrown out going to second), and a Mark Trumbo double.

Up until the 11th inning, the Orioles’ bats went dormant, much like they did in the playoff game and for stretches in many games in 2016.

That’s not to say there weren’t good signs. Trey Mancini had a single back through the middle in pinch-hit duties, continuing to show why he deserves to stay in the major leagues.

Must Read: 5 Best Orioles Home Run Hitters of All-Time

Seth Smith was 1-4 with a double but had several balls that were well hit in his Oriole debut. Trumbo had two of the three RBIs, and Welington Castillo went 2-4 with a double as well.

On the downside, the bottom of the lineup, Hyun Soo Kim, Schoop and J.J. Hardy went a combined 0-11 with one strikeout (Hardy).

That brings me to another positive, the Orioles as a team only struck out five times, with Davis, Machado, Hardy and Smith being the four to strike out, and Davis striking out twice.

The first game counts the same as the last, and all the ones in between, but it certainly feels good to be 1-0. The manner of the game, and how similar it was to the last game of 2016, only help make it feel a bit redemptive.

Next: Trumbo blasts walk-off homer in extra innings

Dylan Bundy will be the next to go for the Orioles on Wednesday, and he will likely have Craig Gentry and Joey Rickard backing him in the outfield, as the Orioles face left-hander J.A. Happ.

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